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Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2023

Cigarette smoking habits among adults in the UK, including how many people smoke, differences between population groups, changes over time and use of e-cigarettes.

Release date : 1 October 2024
Next release : To be announced

Edition : Latest
View previous releases

Headline facts and figures

6.0 million

people smoked cigarettes (aged 18 and above) in the UK in 2023

25 to 34 age

highest propotion of current smokers (14%)

5.1 million

adults aged 16 years and over uses an e-cigatette daily or occasionally

Data from other statistics producers

Other statistics producers also publish data on adult smoking habits. We have labelled them as highly, broadly and not comparable with ONS data. This is to understand if you can compare or combine with ONS data.

Read why these data are highly, broadly or not compatible with ONS data in our Adult smoking habits in the UK methodology

Links Source How comparable with ONS data
Health survey Northern ireland 2022/23 (Chapter 4) Department of Health Northern Ireland Highly Icon You can directly compare or combine these data with ONS data. This is because the data sources and definitions that the statistics producer used are the same, or almost the same, as those we used.
National Survey for Wales: April 2022 to March 2023 Welsh Government Highly Icon You can directly compare or combine these data with ONS data. This is because the data sources and definitions that the statistics producer used are the same, or almost the same, as those we used.
The Scottish Health Survey 2022 Scottish Government Not Icon You cannot compare or combine these data with ONS data because the data sources or definitions or both are entirely different to those we used.
Health Survey for Englanf NHS England Broadly Icon You can compare or combine these data with ONS data. However, there are a few differences in the data sources or definitions or both that the statistics producer used. This could affect how you use or interpret any compared or combined statistics.