Fewer Than 1 in 5 Brits Smoke, New Figures Confirm
New figures have confirmed that fewer than 1 in 5 people in the UK smoke. This represents the lowest proportion of smokers on record.
According to figures from the National Office of Statistics, the proportion of people that smoke has fallen to 19 per cent. There has been a significant decline from 46 per cent in 1974, and more people than ever before have never smoked.
Despite the fact that the popularity of e-cigarettes has increased, the news is incredibly positive, as use of them has only increased among people who smoke rather than those who have quit.
The most recent figure represents the first time the proportion has fallen below 20 per cent since records began.
Statistics showed that people who were married, those with high academic achievement and older people were less likely to smoke than younger people, singles and those with low academic achievement.
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable life-threatening illnesses in the UK and costs the NHS more than £5 billion every year.
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