Smoking in the
This page presents information about trends in indicators related to smoking.
Table of contents
Smoking prevalence
Persons, 18 years and over
| Time period | South East Value | 95% confidence interval lower limit | 95% confidence interval upper limit | England Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 18.2 | 17.6 | 18.9 | 19.8 |
| 2012 | 17.9 | 17.3 | 18.6 | 19.3 |
| 2013 | 17.2 | 16.5 | 17.8 | 18.4 |
| 2014 | 16.5 | 15.8 | 17.1 | 17.8 |
| 2015 | 15.9 | 15.3 | 16.5 | 16.9 |
| 2016 | 14.6 | 13.9 | 15.2 | 15.5 |
| 2017 | 13.7 | 13.0 | 14.3 | 14.9 |
| 2018 | 12.9 | 12.3 | 13.5 | 14.4 |
| 2019 | 12.2 | 11.5 | 12.8 | 13.9 |
| 2020 | 11.6 | 11.0 | 12.3 | 12.8 |
| 2021 | 11.0 | 10.4 | 11.7 | 12.1 |
| 2022 | 10.5 | 9.8 | 11.2 | 11.5 |
| 2023 | 9.9 | 9.2 | 10.7 | 10.9 |
| 2024 | 9.4 | 8.7 | 10.0 | 10.4 |
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You can find more information about this indicator and related data on our Fingertips website. Fingertips is a data platform that contains a large range of indicators organised into topics, such as tobacco, mental health, and mortality.
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Source: OHID, based on Office for National Statistics data
The line chart shows the percentage of people aged 18 or over who smoke. The proportion in the South East decreased from 18.2% in 2011 to 9.4% in 2024.
Regular smoking at age 15
Persons, 15 years
| Time period | South East Value | 95% confidence interval lower limit | 95% confidence interval upper limit | England Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | NA | NA | NA | 21.0 |
| 2005 | NA | NA | NA | 20.0 |
| 2006 | NA | NA | NA | 20.0 |
| 2007 | NA | NA | NA | 15.0 |
| 2008 | NA | NA | NA | 14.0 |
| 2009 | NA | NA | NA | 15.0 |
| 2010 | NA | NA | NA | 12.0 |
| 2011 | 9.5 | 5.5 | 13.5 | 11.0 |
| 2012 | 11.1 | 6.1 | 16.2 | 10.0 |
| 2013 | 9.0 | 5.3 | 12.6 | 8.0 |
| 2014 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 5.5 | 8.0 |
| 2015 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2016 | 5.7 | 3.5 | 7.9 | 6.7 |
| 2017 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2018 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 6.2 | 5.3 |
| 2019 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2020 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2021 | 4.6 | 2.5 | 6.7 | 3.3 |
| 2022 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2023 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 7.8 | 2.2 |
Download data on regular smoking at age 15 in CSV format.
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You can find more information about this indicator and related data on our Fingertips website. Fingertips is a data platform that contains a large range of indicators organised into topics, such as tobacco, mental health, and mortality.
View regular smoking at age 15 data.
View the regular smoking at age 15 definition.
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Source: NHS England
The line chart shows the percentage of people aged 15 who smoke regularly. The proportion in the South East changed from 9.5% in 2011 to 5.0% in 2023.
Regular vaping at age 15
Persons, 15 years
| Time period | South East Value | 95% confidence interval lower limit | 95% confidence interval upper limit | England Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 4.1 | 3.4 |
| 2017 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2018 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| 2019 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2020 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2021 | 10.3 | 7.3 | 13.3 | 9.8 |
| 2022 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2023 | 14.7 | 10.1 | 19.4 | 10.9 |
Download data on regular vaping at age 15 in CSV format.
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You can find more information about this indicator and related data on our Fingertips website. Fingertips is a data platform that contains a large range of indicators organised into topics, such as tobacco, mental health, and mortality.
View regular vaping at age 15 data.
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Source: NHS England
The line chart shows the percentage of people aged 15 who use e-cigarettes regularly. The proportion in the South East increased from 2.6% in 2016 to 14.7% in 2023.
Mothers who smoke
Female, all ages
| Time period | South East Value | 95% confidence interval lower limit | 95% confidence interval upper limit | England Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010/11 | 11.9 | 11.7 | 12.1 | 13.6 |
| 2011/12 | 11.6 | 11.4 | 11.8 | 13.3 |
| 2012/13 | 11.4 | 11.2 | 11.6 | 12.8 |
| 2013/14 | 10.9 | 10.7 | 11.0 | 12.2 |
| 2014/15 | 10.4 | 10.2 | 10.6 | 11.7 |
| 2015/16 | 9.8 | 9.6 | 10.0 | 11.0 |
| 2016/17 | 9.7 | 9.5 | 9.9 | 10.7 |
| 2017/18 | 9.9 | 9.7 | 10.1 | 10.8 |
| 2018/19 | 9.7 | 9.5 | 9.9 | 10.6 |
| 2019/20 | 9.7 | 9.5 | 9.9 | 10.4 |
| 2020/21 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 9.2 | 9.6 |
| 2021/22 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 8.3 | 9.1 |
| 2022/23 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 8.3 | 8.8 |
| 2023/24 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 7.0 | 7.4 |
| 2024/25 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 6.1 |
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You can find more information about this indicator and related data on our Fingertips website. Fingertips is a data platform that contains a large range of indicators organised into topics, such as tobacco, mental health, and mortality.
View mothers who smoke data.
View the mothers who smoke definition.
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Source: OHID, based on NHS England data
The line chart shows the percentage of mothers who are smokers at the time of delivery. The proportion in the South East decreased from 11.9% in the financial year ending 2011 to 5.7% in the financial year ending 2025.
Hospital admissions attributable to smoking
Persons, 35 years and over
| Time period | South East Value | 95% confidence interval lower limit | 95% confidence interval upper limit | England Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013/14 | 1,174 | 1,165 | 1,184 | 1,534 |
| 2014/15 | 1,157 | 1,147 | 1,166 | 1,514 |
| 2015/16 | 1,103 | 1,094 | 1,112 | 1,458 |
| 2016/17 | 1,074 | 1,065 | 1,083 | 1,401 |
| 2017/18 | 1,013 | 1,004 | 1,021 | 1,384 |
| 2018/19 | 967 | 958 | 975 | 1,378 |
| 2019/20 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2020/21 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2021/22 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2022/23 | 894 | 887 | 902 | 1,242 |
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You can find more information about this indicator and related data on our Fingertips website. Fingertips is a data platform that contains a large range of indicators organised into topics, such as tobacco, mental health, and mortality.
View hospital admissions attributable to smoking data.
View the hospital admissions attributable to smoking definition.
Visit the smoking profile on Fingertips for more information on smoking.
Source: OHID, based on NHS England and Office for National Statistics data
The line chart shows the rate of hospital admissions attributable to smoking. The directly standardised rate in the South East decreased from 1174 per 100,000 in the financial year ending 2014 to 894 per 100,000 in the financial year ending 2023.
Deaths attributable to smoking
Persons, 35 years and over
| Time period | South East Value | 95% confidence interval lower limit | 95% confidence interval upper limit | England Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 - 15 | 211 | 208 | 213 | 244 |
| 2014 - 16 | 201 | 199 | 204 | 234 |
| 2015 - 17 | 194 | 192 | 196 | 225 |
| 2016 - 18 | 181 | 179 | 183 | 212 |
| 2017 - 19 | 173 | 171 | 175 | 205 |
| 2018 - 20 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2019 - 21 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2020 - 22 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2021 - 23 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2022 - 24 | 152 | 151 | 154 | 181 |
Download data on deaths attributable to smoking in CSV format.
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You can find more information about this indicator and related data on our Fingertips website. Fingertips is a data platform that contains a large range of indicators organised into topics, such as tobacco, mental health, and mortality.
View deaths attributable to smoking data.
View the deaths attributable to smoking definition.
Visit the smoking profile on Fingertips for more information on smoking.
Source: OHID, based on Office for National Statistics data
The line chart shows the rate of deaths attributable to smoking. The directly standardised rate in the South East decreased from 211 per 100,000 in 2013 to 2015 to 152 per 100,000 in 2022 to 2024.
Successful smoking quitters
Persons, 16 years and over
| Time period | South East Value | 95% confidence interval lower limit | 95% confidence interval upper limit | England Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013/14 | 3.30 | 3.21 | 3.39 | 3.74 |
| 2014/15 | 2.77 | 2.69 | 2.85 | 2.90 |
| 2015/16 | 2.36 | 2.29 | 2.44 | 2.60 |
| 2016/17 | 2.05 | 1.99 | 2.12 | 2.24 |
| 2017/18 | 1.80 | 1.74 | 1.86 | 2.07 |
| 2018/19 | 1.94 | 1.87 | 2.02 | 1.89 |
| 2019/20 | 2.06 | 2.03 | 2.09 | 1.81 |
| 2020/21 | 1.70 | 1.64 | 1.77 | 1.67 |
| 2021/22 | 1.50 | 1.46 | 1.54 | 1.34 |
| 2022/23 | 1.90 | 1.85 | 1.96 | 1.69 |
| 2023/24 | 2.10 | 2.04 | 2.16 | 1.93 |
| 2024/25 | 2.70 | 2.62 | 2.78 | 2.44 |
Download data on successful smoking quitters in CSV format.
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You can find more information about this indicator and related data on our Fingertips website. Fingertips is a data platform that contains a large range of indicators organised into topics, such as tobacco, mental health, and mortality.
View successful smoking quitters data.
View the successful smoking quitters definition.
Visit the smoking profile on Fingertips for more information on smoking.
Source: NHS England
The line chart shows the proportion of smokers who have successfully quit for 4 weeks or more. The proportion in the South East decreased from 3.30% in the financial year ending 2014 to 2.70% in the financial year ending 2025.