Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable ill health and premature death in England, causing health inequalities across the UK such as life expectancy. The health implications of smoking are substantial and people who smoke are more at risk of developing cancer (lung, mouth, lip, throat, liver, kidney, stomach and cervical) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), other respiratory conditions and heart disease.

There are around 7.3 million adult smokers in England and more than 200 people a day die from smoking (approximately 80,000 people die each year) due to smoking related illness, accounting for 16% of all deaths.

Smoking costs the UK economy £14.2bn per year. The cost to the NHS of treating smoking related illnesses is estimated to be £2.0bn per year, including the costs of hospital admissions, GP consultations and prescriptions.

 Knowsley Smoking Prevalence

  • Smoking prevalence among adults is significantly higher when compared to the North West and England
  • Within Knowsley, smoking prevalence ranges from 6.6% in Halewood North ward to 27.5% in Stockbridge ward
  • Smoking at the time of delivery continues to decline in Knowsley but remains above the North West and England
  • 79% of 11 to 15 year olds had never smoked and those that do smoke don’t do very often
  • 28% of 11 to 15 year olds had tried e-cigarettes, with 15% having used one once or twice

Health Impact

  • Lung cancer incidence is significantly higher than the North West and England and has increased by 14.5% in the last 10 years
  • Although lung cancer incidence is higher for males, there has been a 4.3% reduction in the rate of new male cases compared to a 44.3% in females in the last 10 years
  • COPD prevalence is the 2nd highest rate in the North West and the 4th highest rate nationally
  • 2nd highest smoking attributable mortality rate in the North West
  • Lung cancer deaths account for 30.2% of all cancer deaths
  • Female lung cancer mortality rate has increased by 10.5% in the last 10 years compared to a 23.0% reduction in males
  • COPD accounts for almost half of all respiratory deaths
  • Female COPD mortality rate has increased by 36.7% in the last 10 years compared to a 34.0%

Knowsley Stop Smoking Service

  • The rate of residents setting a quit date in 2016/17 was the third highest in England
  • Knowsley has a (self-reported) – a quit rate of 46.0%

For more information the full JSNA report can be found here JSNA Report – Smoking and Tobacco