The rising price of cigarettes is motivating more people - one in four adults in England - to give up smoking, research suggests.

In a survey of nearly 6,000 people, health concerns were still the top reason for quitting.

But highlighting the money that could be saved by stopping smoking could encourage even more quit attempts, the University College London study said.

The average price of a packet of 20 is more than £14, rising to £16 in 2026.

Cigarettes are the number-one preventable cause of death and disease in the UK.

The tobacco and toxins they contain can lead to lung cancer, lung disease and heart disease, with about half of all lifelong smokers dying early.

Giving up smoking reduces these risks - and health experts say it is never too late.

The study, which surveyed smokers every year between 2018 and 2023, found a continued rise in the proportion trying to quit since the start of the Covid pandemic - and that could have motivated others.

Latest figures show 12.7% of adults in England smoke - down from nearly 20% in 2011.

When people were asked why they had tried to stop:

Writing in the journal BMJ Public Health, the researchers say the pandemic probably raised smokers' awareness of the health dangers, leading to a rise in health-motivated quit attempts in 2020 and 2021.

But Covid also led to the loss of jobs and income for many people, which has since been compounded by a cost-of-living crisis.

"If you smoke, you can reduce your outgoings by switching to e-cigarettes," Dr Sarah Jackson, from UCL, said.

"This might be a helpful message in any future government campaign to get more people to stop smoking."

Previous research, from 2018-22, found smokers spent, on average, £20 on cigarettes each week, with e-cigarette users spending £6.30.

As prices rose, smokers either reduced the number of cigarettes they smoked or switched to cheaper hand-rolled cigarettes - but at some point, there would have been a limit.

Recent research found a rise in the proportion of middle-class and richer women aged under 45 smoking in England.

Last week, MPs voted to ban anyone born after 2009 from buying cigarettes in the UK.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill proposes some of the strictest smoking laws in the world.

It also aims to make vapes less appealing to children, with restrictions on flavours and packaging.

Has the rising price of cigarettes helped you give up smoking? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

I accept the Terms of Service

In some cases a selection of your comments and questions will be published, displaying your name and location as you provide it unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.

At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.

The BBC retains the right to select from these contributions based on editorial requirements and subject to online terms and conditions and BBC editorial guidelines. For more information about how the BBC handles your personal data, see here.

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

Health officials say the increase is "worrying but expected".

Jesse, five, feels less pain thanks to his new medication, his mum says.

The new facility for cardiology patients has been kitted out with state-of-the-art equipment.

The Royal College of Surgeons honour Prof Carie Newlands and Daljit Dhariwal for their work.

An online friendship between two mums led to a new kidney for five-year-old Destiny-Rae.

Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.

QOSHE - Cigarette prices motivating more people in England to give up - study - Philippa Roxby
menu_open
Columnists Actual . Favourites . Archive
We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close
Aa Aa Aa
- A +

Cigarette prices motivating more people in England to give up - study

22 52
23.04.2024

The rising price of cigarettes is motivating more people - one in four adults in England - to give up smoking, research suggests.

In a survey of nearly 6,000 people, health concerns were still the top reason for quitting.

But highlighting the money that could be saved by stopping smoking could encourage even more quit attempts, the University College London study said.

The average price of a packet of 20 is more than £14, rising to £16 in 2026.

Cigarettes are the number-one preventable cause of death and disease in the UK.

The tobacco and toxins they contain can lead to lung cancer, lung disease and heart disease, with about half of all lifelong smokers dying early.

Giving up smoking reduces these risks - and health experts say it is never too late.

The study, which surveyed smokers every year between 2018 and 2023, found a continued rise in the proportion trying to quit since the start of the Covid pandemic - and that could have motivated others.

Latest figures show 12.7% of adults in England smoke - down from........

© BBC


Get it on Google Play