Smoking Rates Rise in Specific Devon and Cornwall Areas Amidst National Decline

Data indicates an increase in smoking prevalence across certain areas of England’s South West, contrasting with a national trend where UK smoking levels have reached their lowest point since records began in 2011. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the proportion of smokers in Torridge, North Devon, West Devon, Plymouth, and Cornwall all experienced a rise between 2022 and 2023. Conversely, all other local authority regions within the South West observed a decrease in this rate. Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), a public health charity, has highlighted a connection between deprivation and elevated smoking levels. In the Torridge district, the ONS estimated that 9.4% of adults were smokers in 2023, an increase from 8.2% in the preceding year. The 2021 census identified this district as the most deprived in Devon, particularly concerning unemployment, long-term health issues, and household overcrowding. John Waldron, Ash’s policy and public affairs manager, noted that while smoking figures for individual localities can vary annually, the long-term pattern in Torridge and nationwide demonstrates that smoking rates have nearly halved since 2011. He emphasized that efforts to assist individuals in Torridge with quitting smoking “need to be stepped up”. In Great Torrington, situated on the district’s eastern border, the observed increase in the number of smokers surprised some local residents. Ricky Pearson, who works at the town’s Pannier Market, mentioned an increase in vape usage but had presumed a decline in the number of smokers. He remarked that given the cost of cigarettes, “you do wonder why people would suddenly take smoking up as a habit”. Jayshree Mukherjee-Jones, a local trader in the market town, stated that she frequently observes young people smoking while using public transport in the vicinity. She commented, “Vaping has gone up, but also smoking among young girls has gone up, which I see quite a lot.” Simon Clark, director of the Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco, a smokers’ lobby group, pointed out that it is widely recognized that the majority of smokers originate from disadvantaged backgrounds. He suggested that many individuals smoke for both pleasure and comfort. Mr. Clark further asserted: “What local authorities and central government should be doing is improving the conditions in which people live.”