Smoking rates hit record low in East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire

Smoking rates across East Yorkshire, Northern Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire have fallen to the lowest level on record, according to new data from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

The Annual Population Survey (APS) indicates that the smoking rate across the area's Integrated Care Board (ICB) was 10.7% in 2025, down from 11.7% in 2024, which equals around 8,000 fewer smokers in the region.

This decline continues a long-term trend attributed to dedicated efforts by local authorities and the NHS to offer free support and deliver expert quit smoking advice.

Initiatives like the Turn the Corner campaign have played a pivotal role, motivating 78% of viewers to take positive action.

Despite these advances, approximately 157,000 adults in the region still smoke, with smoking rates ranging from 19.5% in Kingston upon Hull to 6.9% in York, revealing significant inequalities.

Scott Crosby, Associate Director for the Humber and North Yorkshire Centre for Excellence in Tobacco Control, acknowledged the reduction in smoking rates while underscoring the need for ongoing work.

Crosby said, “It is fantastic to see smoking rates continuing to fall across Humber and North Yorkshire. This progress reflects years of hard work by colleagues locally, regionally and nationally to reduce the devastating harm caused by tobacco. But there is still much more to do."

The Tobacco and Vapes Act, effective from 1st January 2027, aims to prevent children born on or after January 2009 from ever legally purchasing tobacco products, creating a smoke-free generation.

This policy hopes to eradicate smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in the UK, which results in up to 2,500 premature deaths annually across Humber and North Yorkshire.

Nigel Wells, Executive Medical Director for Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, praised the drop in smoking rates and stressed the importance of discouraging new smokers.

Wells stated: "It is really positive to see the number of smokers falling across our ICB area. However, smoking still causes around 2,500 premature deaths a year within our ICB alone. This is more than 7 a day – all of which are preventable."