Smoking and Health

Last activity on February 24, 2026

Smoking is the biggest single cause of inequalities in death rates between rich and poor in the UK, and most preventable cause of death and illness.
Smoking causes 74,600 deaths per year in England (2019), over 8 million worldwide, and result in the premature death of half of smokers who do not stop.
Smoking is the cause of long-term illness and disability in many smokers, including those that ultimately die from something else other than smoking.
Main causes of death attributable to smoking are: cancer, cardiovascular disease and lung disease.
Risk of lung cancer is 15 times greater for a smoker than a non-smoker
1 in 8 smokers who do not quit will die of lung cancer.
Average smoker has approximately twice the risk of developing heart disease prematurely compared to someone who has never smoked.
23,000 people die from COPD as a consequence of smoking, accounting for over 1/5 of all smoking related deaths each year.

National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training. Assessment of core knowledge and key practice skills- January 2023.

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