Fewer smokers in Northampton, Daventry and South Northants as e-cigarette usage increases

Northampton, Daventry and South Northamptonshire saw a fall in the rate of adult smokers last year, new figures show.

Office for National Statistics figures recorded the lowest proportion of smokers in the UK to date, with e-cigarettes playing a "major role" in the decline.

The ONS data shows 12.6 percent of people aged over 18 in Northampton were smokers in 2021, down from 13.8 percent the year before. It was also a fall from 18 percent five years ago.

Last year, a further 27 percent of adults in the area were ex-smokers while 60.5 percent had never smoked.

Men in Northampton smoked more than women with 15.3 percent taking up cigarettes, while 10.1 percent of women smoked.

In Daventry, 10.4 percent of people aged over 18 were smokers in 2021, down slightly from 11.1 percent the year before. It was also a fall from 19.1 percent five years ago.

Last year, a further 31.2 percent of adults in the area were ex-smokers while 58.3 percent had never smoked.

Women in Daventry smoked more than men with 7.9 percent taking up cigarettes, while 13 percent of men smoked.

Finally, in South Northamptonshire, 10.8 percent of people aged over 18 were smokers in 2021, up from nine percent the year before. It was also a fall from eight percent five years ago.

In 2021, a further 25 percent of adults in the area were ex-smokers while 64.1 percent had never smoked.

Women in South Northamptonshire smoked more than men with 6.5 percent taking up cigarettes, while 14.7 percent of men smoked.

Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, welcomed the overall fall in smoking levels, but said the Government must not become "complacent".

Ms Cheeseman added that without a new tobacco plan from the Government, "the vision of being smoke free by 2030" will not be met.

Across the UK, 13.3 percent of adults smoked cigarettes in 2021, down from 14.0 percent the year before and a significant fall from 20.2 percent a decade ago.

The ONS said the increase in people taking up e-cigarettes has played a "major role" in the fall with a separate survey finding 7.7 percent of those aged 16 and over in Great Britain last year used an e-cigarette daily or occasionally.

It was an increase from 2020, when 6.2 percent of people reported daily or occasional e-cigarette use.

The survey found that the proportion of vapers was highest among current cigarette smokers (24.6 percent) and ex-cigarette smokers (14.8 percent), with only 1.7 percent of people who have never smoked reporting that they vaped.

David Fothergill, chairman of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, said that councils can help deliver the ambition of eliminating smoking in England by 2030, but needed certainty over long-term funding.

Mr Fothergill added: “Reducing smoking rates among the remaining 5.4 million smokers in England is the single biggest thing we can do to improve the nation’s health."