New figures show that around six million people aged 18 and over (11.9 per cent) smoked cigarettes in the UK in 2023 – the lowest proportion of current smokers since records began in 2011.
The LGA said falling smoking rates were “testament” to the efforts and hard work of council public health teams.
The data, published by the Office for National Statistics, found those aged 25 to 34 had the highest proportion of current smokers (14 per cent) in the UK in 2023.
It also showed that around 5.1 million adults aged 16 and over (9.8 per cent) currently use an e-cigarette daily or occasionally. E-cigarette use was highest among people aged 16 to 24.
Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Council public health teams work hard to help reduce smoking rates and it is testament to their efforts that smoking rates continue to fall.
“They can help the Government achieve its ambition of eliminating smoking in England, and we look forward to the publication of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
“We are also calling on the Government, in the Autumn Budget, to increase investment in the public health grant, which has suffered a cut of 27 per cent in real terms since 2015/16.”
