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Wales smoking evidence hub
Smoking statistics and facts in Wales
Quick, sourced Wales statistics on smoking, health, inequality, pregnancy, prevention and young people, quitting and illegal tobacco.
Last reviewed: 30th September 2026
Quick facts
The numbers people most often need. Official national surveillance figures sit alongside clearly labelled ASH Wales/YouGov findings. In our 2026 survey, 12% reported currently smoking, 28% of adults living in social housing smoked compared with 8% of homeowners, 53% of current smokers wanted to stop, and 54% of adults aware of vapes believed vaping was as harmful as or more harmful than smoking.
3,845
estimated smoking-attributable deaths per year among adults aged 35+, 2020–22
17,195
estimated smoking-attributable hospital admissions a year among adults aged 35+, 2020–22
£1.56bn
modelled annual cost of smoking to Wales using Public Health Wales’ 2022–23 cost framework
Adults and smoking trends
Why figures can differ: different surveys use different samples and methods. For national prevalence, this page uses the National Survey for Wales as the headline measure. The 2024–25 National Survey smoking figures are official statistics in development, and Welsh Government advises care with subgroup estimates and comparisons with earlier years. ASH Wales polling is labelled separately.
Smoking and inequality
The national average hides much higher smoking rates in some groups. Official National Survey for Wales figures below show 23% of people living in social housing smoking compared with 7% of owner-occupiers in 2024–25. In the separate ASH Wales/YouGov 2026 survey, 28% of adults living in social housing reported currently smoking compared with 8% of homeowners. These are different surveys and should not be treated as one trend series. For wider context, see Smoking & Health Inequalities in Wales.
22.6% vs 6.8%
estimated prevalence in the most vs least deprived fifth of communities
Smoking during pregnancy
Data note: Welsh Government advises care when comparing years because changes in carbon monoxide monitoring affected recording during and after the pandemic.
Prevention and young people
Latest national school picture - Wales, 2025
Public Health Wales analysis of the 2025 School Health Research Network survey is the national picture to use for Years 7–11 in Wales. The report is based on 129,761 learners from 201 schools. In 2025, 5.2% reported vaping at least weekly, 21.0% had ever vaped and 1.8% reported smoking at least weekly. Weekly vaping was 12.8% among Year 11 learners.
ASH Wales original research - fieldwork 2023
ASH Wales surveyed 12,524 pupils in Years 7–13 between 20 September and 20 December 2023, with responses from 14 Welsh local authority areas. Published in May 2024, the study adds detail on access, self-reported nicotine use and school-day experience. It should not be read as the national prevalence estimate for Wales.
24%
of Years 7–11 respondents in this survey sample had ever vaped
7%
of Years 7–11 respondents in this survey sample were current vapers
92%
of respondents in the study’s current-vaper group who answered this question said their vapes contained nicotine
45%
of respondents in the study’s current-vaper group who answered this question said they could not go through the whole school day without vaping
55%
of current vapers reported product characteristics that the 2024 study classified as highly likely to be illegal
Health harm and cost
How to read these figures: smoking-attributable deaths and hospital admissions are estimates calculated using smoking-attributable fractions; the cost figures come from an economic model. They are not direct counts of every smoking-caused event or audited NHS, council or business expenditure.
3,845
estimated smoking-attributable deaths per year among adults aged 35+, 2020–22
17,195
estimated smoking-attributable hospital admissions a year among adults aged 35+, 2020–22
£1.56bn
modelled total annual cost of smoking to Wales using Public Health Wales’ 2022–23 cost framework
£650m+
modelled annual health and social-care cost components linked to smoking in Wales
Local Wales: health board rates
Public Health Wales publishes smoking-attributable mortality and hospital-admission rates by health board. These are European age-standardised rates (EASRs) per 100,000 people aged 35+, which are designed for comparing places with different age structures.
They are estimates based on smoking-attributable fractions, not direct counts of individual cases caused solely by smoking.
Smoking-attributable mortality
EASR per 100,000, 2020–22
Aneurin Bevan: 206
Betsi Cadwaladr: 188
Cardiff & Vale: 165
Cwm Taf Morgannwg: 220
Hywel Dda: 172
Powys: 152
Swansea Bay: 200
Wales: 190
Smoking-attributable hospital admissions
EASR per 100,000, 2020–22
Aneurin Bevan: 915
Betsi Cadwaladr: 984
Cardiff & Vale: 719
Cwm Taf Morgannwg: 925
Hywel Dda: 734
Powys: 902
Swansea Bay: 742
Wales: 862
How to use these figures: compare rates, not raw numbers. Public Health Wales notes that COVID affected mortality and healthcare use during 2020–22, and that health-board estimates should be interpreted carefully – particularly for smaller populations such as Powys. These figures are best used as context, not as a league table.
Quitting smoking and NHS support
5.9%
of the estimated smoking population made a quit attempt through NHS services
3,606
CO-validated quits recorded at four weeks among people treated in 2025–26
Trend note: carbon-monoxide (CO) validation was suspended by Welsh health boards from 2020–21 to 2023–24 because of COVID-19 transmission risk. All health boards resumed CO validation from April–June 2024. That means CO-validated quit figures should not be shown as one continuous trend across the pandemic gap.
For context, 17,763 people were treated in 2024–25 and 3,202 had a CO-validated quit recorded at four weeks. In 2025–26, 15,471 were treated and 3,606 had a CO-validated quit recorded at four weeks. These are recent service measures, not proof of permanent abstinence.
Illegal tobacco and community intelligence
No Ifs. No Butts. shows what communities are reporting to the service. These figures are not an estimate of the total illegal market in Wales.
What people in Wales think
Public attitudes to tobacco and vape regulation in Wales - 2026
Public-attitude findings conducted by YouGov for ASH Wales. These are kept separate from official national prevalence statistics.
80%
supported restrictions on sweet names, cartoons and bright colours on vape packaging
NEW RESEARCH • SEPTEMBER 2026
Explore our two latest Wales reports
Public attitudes to tobacco and vape regulation in Wales brings together the latest ASH Wales/YouGov findings on regulation, smoke-free places and perceptions of vaping harm. Smoking and Social Housing in Wales examines smoking, vaping, health and household smoking within the social-housing subgroup.
Key Wales research and reports
Need more than a headline figure? Go straight to the underlying research.
ASH WALES • 2024
Youth Vaping Survey
Detailed evidence on vaping, nicotine, access, dependence and illegal products among pupils in Wales.
PUBLIC HEALTH WALES • 2026
The Cost of Smoking in Wales
Current economic analysis of the health, social care, environmental and productivity costs of smoking.
ASH WALES • 2022–2025
No Ifs. No Butts.
Community intelligence on illegal tobacco, illegal vapes and underage sales.
ASH WALES • 2014–2025
Nicotine product trends
A decade of awareness and use of emerging nicotine products in Wales.
ASH WALES • 2025
Annual Adult Population Survey
Public attitudes to smoking, tobacco policy and vaping in Wales.
About the data
We use the most recent Wales-specific evidence available and name the source and year beside every statistic. Different surveys may produce different estimates because they use different samples, questions and methods. Where an official national prevalence measure exists, we use that as the headline figure and clearly label ASH Wales research separately.
Last evidence review: September 2026.