Why Are Smoking Rates Rising in Parts of England?

Why Are Smoking Rates Rising in Parts of England?

Smoking rates have gone up in parts of England, according to new research—something that hadn’t been seen in almost 20 years. The country has been regarded as a tobacco harm reduction success story, so what’s going on? In a big regional divide, smoking rates declined by nearly 10 percent in the North of England from 2020-2024, the study found—but rose 10 percent in the South. The national average, which stood at 16.5 percent in 2024, essentially…