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Profile
United Kingdom Flag
Cigarettes
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2023.   Page updated: 2025-03-04

Prevalence

Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 10.6 million 1A
2018 7.2 million 1B
2022 6.4 million 1C A
References:
  1. (1) WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition. (2) Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Ed.). (2019). World Population Prospects 2019 (Online Edition Rev. 1.; Population Division). United Nations. https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. Office for National Statistics (2019) Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2018 available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2018
  3. Office for National Statistics. (2023). Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2022. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2022
Comments:
  1. Annual Population Survey from the Office for National Statistics 2022. Proportion who were current smokers, all persons aged 18 years and over, UK, 2022
Year Value Reference/Comment
2000 27.1% 2A
2001 26.6% 2A
2002 26% 2A
2003 25.3% 2A
2004 24.5% 2A
2005 23.7% 2A
2006 22.9% 2A
2007 22% 2A
2008 21.3% 2A
2009 20.8% 2A
2010 20.4% 2A
2011 20.2% 2A
2012 19.6% 2A
2013 18.8% 2A
2014 18.1% 2A
2015 17.2% 2A
2016 15.8% 2A
2017 19.2% 2B
2017 15.1% 2A
2018 14.7% 2A
2020 14.5% 2C
2020 14.3% 2D
2022 13.1% 2E A
2022 12.9% 2F B
2023 11.9% 2G
References:
  1. Office for National Statistics. (2019). Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2018. ONS Statistical Bulletin, 1–16.
  2. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  3. Smoking habits in the UK and its constituent countries, Office for National Statistics, 2021
  4. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  5. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  6. Office for National Statistics. (2023). Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2022. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2022
  7. ONS: Office for National Statistics (2023)
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
  2. Annual Population Survey from the Office for National Statistics 2022. Proportion who were current smokers, all persons aged 18 years and over, UK, 2022
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 17.3% 1A
2018 13% 1B
2020 13.7% 1C
2020 12.5% 1D
2022 11.4% 1E A
2022 11.2% 1F B
References:
  1. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  2. Office for National Statistics (2019) Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2018 available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2018
  3. Smoking habits in the UK and its constituent countries, Office for National Statistics, 2021
  4. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  5. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  6. Office for National Statistics. (2023). Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2022. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2022
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
  2. Annual Population Survey from the Office for National Statistics 2022. Proportion who were current smokers, all persons aged 18 years and over, UK, 2022
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 21.1% 1A
2018 16.5% 1B
2020 15.3% 1C
2020 16.2% 1D
2022 15% 1E A
2022 14.6% 1F B
References:
  1. WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, third edition. (2019). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition.
  2. Office for National Statistics (2019) Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2018 available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2018
  3. Smoking habits in the UK and its constituent countries, Office for National Statistics, 2021
  4. WHO. (2021). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000-2025, fourth edition (4th ed). World Health Organization. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/348537
  5. WHO. (2024). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2030. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240088283
  6. Office for National Statistics. (2023). Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2022. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2022
Comments:
  1. Current tobacco smoking rates among people aged 15 years and older, 2022 estimates. Crude adjusted prevalence (%).
  2. Annual Population Survey from the Office for National Statistics 2022. Proportion who were current smokers, all persons aged 18 years and over, UK, 2022
7.2 million
3 B
14.7%
3 B
13%
3 B
16.5%
3 B
References:
  1. Office for National Statistics. (2023). Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2022. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2022
  2. ONS: Office for National Statistics (2023)
  3. Office for National Statistics (2019) Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2018 available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2018
Comments:
  1. Annual Population Survey from the Office for National Statistics 2022. Proportion who were current smokers, all persons aged 18 years and over, UK, 2022
  2. Prevalence figures are for 'current' smokers aged 18 and over, rather than exclusively daily smokers.

Smoking-related mortality

Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 114.5 thousand 1A
2021 75.8 thousand 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 51.7 thousand 1A
2021 31.4 thousand 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 62.8 thousand 1A
2021 44.4 thousand 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 18.87% 1A
2021 11.05% 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 16.9% 1A
2021 9.42% 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 20.5% 1A
2021 12.6% 1B A
References:
  1. The Tobacco Atlas. Available at: https://tobaccoatlas.org/topic/deaths/ Data source: GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators.
  2. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
References:
  1. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/
Comments:
  1. Number of tobacco-related deaths in the population in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
  2. Percentage of tobacco-related deaths to deaths from all causes in 2021 by gender for all age groups. Tobacco-related mortality includes smoking tobacco use, smokeless tobacco use and second-hand smoke.
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team. However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product categories can change at short notice and with little publicity. If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region, you should verify the information independently. If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details and any references and we will rectify any errors.