Plans to phase out the sale of cigarettes in England will be the “biggest public health intervention in a generation”, states Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister at the recent conference of his stumbling Conservative Party who are currently languishing behind the Labour Party in the opinion polls.
But where are the cigarette smoking capitals of the UK? (as defined by the areas with the largest increase in smokers). An analysis of government smoking figures can help to reveal the areas with the biggest increase in smokers.
This reveals that Wychavon takes first place, followed by Rushcliffe and Chorley. In contrast, the area of South Hams has seen the largest decline in smokers. The analysis comes from the vaping products retailer store Go Smoke Free, who analysed government data between 2018 and 2021 (the most recently available period).
Here Wychavon, Worcestershire was found to have the largest increase in smokers, up by 130.88 percent since 2018 – an increase of approximately 12,238 people taking up the unhealthy and dangerous habit of cigarette smoking. It is estimated that 15.7 percent of the entire population of Wychavon are currently smokers, roughly 20,897 people.
Second place goes to Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire, which has observed an increase of 127.78 percent between 2018 and 2021, which works out to an increase of 5,558 new smokers. Despite the smaller population, it was estimated that 8.2 percent of Rushcliffe’s population are smokers, according to 2021 figures.
Chorley, Lancashire, takes the third spot on the list, with a 120 percent increase in smokers between 2018 and 2021, an increase of roughly 11,411 people. In total, approximately 17.6 percent of the population of Chorley were smokers.
The full top ten is:
| Rank | Place | Smoker % (2018) | Smoker % (2021) | Percentage Increase |
| 1 | Wychavon | 6.80% | 15.70% | 130.88% |
| 2 | Rushcliffe | 3.60% | 8.20% | 127.78% |
| 3 | Chorley | 8.00% | 17.60% | 120.00% |
| 4 | Ribble Valley | 8.30% | 17.80% | 114.46% |
| 5 | Brentwood | 6.80% | 14.10% | 107.35% |
| 6 | Broadland | 7.40% | 14.90% | 101.35% |
| 7 | Vale of White Horse | 6.80% | 12.80% | 88.24% |
| 8 | Dover | 13.10% | 23.40% | 78.63% |
| 9 | Erewash | 11.00% | 18.60% | 69.09% |
| 10 | Warwick | 9.90% | 16.10% | 62.63% |
Ribble Valley takes the fourth spot on the list, seeing the number of smokers increase by 114.46 percent, or roughly 6,034 people. Fifth place goes to Brentwood, Essex, with a 107.35 percent increase in smokers between 2018 and 2021 – equivalent to approximately 5,667 additional residents identifying as smokers.
The remainder of the top ten features Broadland, Norfolk, in at sixth place, which saw an increase of 101.35 percent, while Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, takes the seventh spot, observing an increase of 88.24 percent Dover, Kent ranks in at eighth with an increase of 78.63 percent from 2018 to 2021. Interestingly, Dover had the highest proportion of smokers in 2021 out of any top ten entry, with smokers making up 23.4 percent of its total population.
In ninth place is Erewash, Derbyshire, which saw an increase in smokers between 2018 to 2021 of 69.09 percent. Rounding out the list in tenth place is Warwick, Warwickshire, seeing an increase in smokers of 62.63 percent from 2018 to 2021.
Although there has been a 6.19 percent decline in smokers between 2018 and 2021 across the UK, the data set shows a still a several areas that are reporting an uptake in people identifying as smokers.
