Wales Smoking Statistics

6% adults use e-cigs – 72% use them to stop smoking tobacco products completely, while 24% use them to reduce the number of tobacco products they would normally use.

22.4% of adults from the most deprived areas of Wales smoke, compared to 6.6% among the least deprived

Nearly a quarter (24%) of non smokers reported being exposed to tobacco smoke outdoors (2018/19)

53% of smokers said they would like to give up smoking

22.4% of adults from the most deprived groups of Wales smoke, compared to 6.6% amongst the least deprived
31% of adults with a long-standing mental health condition smoke in Wales. Smoking rates currently stand at 13% for the general Welsh adult population
Only 9% of homeowners currently smoke compared to 18% of private renters, rising to 30% amongst those who live in social housing

Source: Census 2021

3% of young people reported smoking tobacco at least weekly – a decline of only 1% since 2019
7% of 15-16-years-olds (Year 11) say they smoke at least weekly
46% of 15-16 year olds who have ever smoked report smoking their first cigarette at 13 years or younger
Children whose parents smoke are 4 times as likely to take up smoking regularly
20% of young people report having tried an e-cigarette, with 8% trying them only once and 13% trying them more than once
In 2021/22, 5% of young people reported using an e-cigarette on a regular basis (at least weekly)
25% of children from low-income households have tried an e-cigarette, compared to 19% of children from high-income households

Source: Student Health and Wellbeing Survey 2021/22

In 2022, 14.1% of women were recorded as smokers at their initial assessment – a decline of 0.9% from 2021
In 2022, a greater proportion of younger women were smokers at initial assessment than older women. Nearly three in ten (29%) of women aged 16 to 19 were recorded as smokers at initial assessment compared to one in ten (10%) women aged 30 or over
In 2022, 12% of mothers were recorded as being smokers at the time they gave birth
In 2022, 27% of women who were smokers at the initial assessment were no longer smokers at the time they gave birth

Source: Maternity and Birth Statistics, Wales 2022

15% of all tobacco consumed in Wales is classed as illegal – higher than any UK region

infections or disease among children

GP consultations

hospital admissions

cases of sudden infant death syndrome

Second-hand smoke exposure increases the risk of lung cancer in non-smokers by 20-30%
Second-hand smoke exposure increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 25-35%
14% of all Welsh adults surveyed said that someone smokes most days in the home they live in, rising to 19% of private renters and 28% of all those who reside in social housing
There were 12% less asthma-related hospital admissions among children just one year after smoking bans were introduced

£ 0 million

Economic cost of smoking across Wales every year

Source: Cost of Smoking to Wales – 2013

£ 0 million

The cost of smoking to the Welsh NHS specifically per year

In Wales, 19% of households are estimated to fall below the poverty line, before tobacco expenditure. This rises to 31% of households living under the poverty line, when tobacco expenditure is taken into account
A report produced by ASH UK shows that tobacco imposes a real and substantial cost on many low-income households in Wales