Nusrat Ghani, MP for Wealden, has welcomed new data showing that smoking rates in Wealden reached a record low last year.
Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show 6% of adults in Wealden smoked in 2022, which is down from 12% the year before and the lowest rate since records began for the area in 2012. It follows trends across England, where the national rate of smokers reached 12.7%, the lowest level on record.
However, while smoking rates are declining, over 5 million adults in England still smoke and smoking remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death in the country, linked to 64,000 deaths a year.
Stoptober is a national campaign launching on 1 October, calling on smokers in England to join the thousands of others committing to quit and highlighting both the immediate benefits and longer-terms gains ex-smokers can expect. Stoptober is based on evidence showing that if you can make it to 28 days smoke free, you’re 5 times more likely to quit for good.
For free support to quit this October, search Stoptober, or click here.
Nusrat Ghani said: “I welcome the news that smoking rates in Wealden have reached a record low, but I appreciate that there is more to be done to support local residents to go smoke free. Stoptober has helped over 2,5 million people quit over the past 12 years, and I would encourage anyone in Wealden looking to stop smoking and improve their health to explore a range of free quitting support that Stoptober offers, including the NHS Quit Smoking App, Facebook support group, an online Personal Quit Plan and local stop-smoking service look-up tool, as well as advice on stop smoking aids including information on how vaping can help you quit smoking.”
