Smoking causes 30 per cent of all cancer deaths in the UK (including at least 84 per cent of lung cancer deaths), 17 per cent of all heart disease deaths and at least 80 per cent of deaths from bronchitis and emphysema. Secondhand smoke also claims 500 lives a week, according to Health Select Committee figures.

There are over 4000 toxins in cigarette smoke, including arsenic and cyanide, and at least 60 of these chemicals are carcinogenic (cancer-causing).
It’s also expensive. At today's prices, a 20-a-day smoker will spend more than 37 thousand pounds on tobacco over the next 20 years.

Research shows that over 70 per cent of smokers would quit if they could. One in ten people even admit to being ‘secret smokers,’ hiding their habit from friends and family and avoid addressing the health threats that smoking poses.

The Statistics

In the UK, about 10 million people smoke – that’s about a quarter of the population. A further 21 per cent of women and 23 per cent of men are ex-smokers. About 450 school children start smoking every day, and a fifth of 15 year olds are regular smokers.

Surveys show that about 70% of current smokers would like to quit but don’t think they have the will-power. About half of smokers will eventually be killed by their addiction. Up to 114 000 smokers die in the UK every year.

Last year, the government earned £8000 million from tobacco duty, and spent £23m on education campaigns, according to anti-smoking organisation ASH.

The Costs

At today's prices, a 20-a-day smoker will spend more than £37 000 on tobacco over the next 20 years. To calculate how much you spend on cigarettes using the NHS’s cost calculator, Click Here.

The Treasury earns more than £8000 million a year from tobacco duties, not including VAT. In fact, about 80% of the price of a packet of cigarettes is tax, and tobacco smuggling is rife, costing the industry more than £2 billion a year.

But there’s more than just personal cost; smoking also costs the country’s economy with lost productivity caused by smoking-related sick days – 34 million days a year just in England and Wales, to be exact. That’s worth an astounding £2.7 billion a year that workplaces will stop losing once the smokefree laws take effect.

Health Costs

Treating smoking-related illnesses costs the National Health Service (NHS) more than £1.5 billion a year. That’s not including sickness benefits, widows’ pensions and social security benefits for dependants.

Read More on Smoking:

Five Easy Steps to Quit Smoking

Smoking and Heart Disease

Smoking and Pregnancy

Smoking and Cancer

How Your Smoking Affects Your Children

Secondhand Smoke

The Benefits of Quitting

Smoking: The Statistics

Smoking: An Addiction As Strong As Heroin!