A MILLION people managed to give up smoking last year, research has revealed.
A university study estimates that a third of the UK’s ten million smokers tried to quit in 2025.
Out of these, 29 per cent said they successfully kicked the habit — equal to just over one million people.
Smoking causes more than one in ten deaths and is linked to at least 16 types of cancer, plus dementia and heart diseases.
Ian Walker, policy director at Cancer Research UK, said: “Stopping smoking completely is the best thing you can do for your health. It is the biggest cause of cancer in the UK.”
The findings, by University College London, add to evidence that smoking is falling out of fashion in Britain, with rates at a record low.
Just 10.6 per cent of the population smoke, compared with 42 per cent 50 years ago.
And last year tobacco smokers were outnumbered by vapers for the first time.
The UCL study’s estimate of the number of smokers is higher than the official six million figure because it includes those who do not light up every day.
Experts say vapes offer one of the best ways to quit and are safer than cigarettes because they do not contain tar or smoke chemicals.
Polls for campaign group Action on Smoking and Health show 53 per cent of smokers say they want to stub out for good. Studies show it is never too late to quit and you can reduce your risk of dementia by stopping even in old age.
The Government is pushing through plans to cut cigarette use even further by banning people born after 2008 from ever being able to buy them.
Legislation will also limit vape packaging and flavours to reduce their appeal to children and teenagers, and cut levels of nicotine addiction.
Professor Sarah Jackson, study author at UCL, said: “To prevent avoidable illness and premature deaths we must ensure that existing generations of smokers are supported to quit.
“They need effective treatments that are accessible, affordable and proactively offered through healthcare services.”
How does smoking increase your risk of lung cancer?
SMOKING cigarettes is the single biggest risk factor for lung cancer.
It’s responsible for more than seven out of 10 cases, according to the NHS.
Tobacco smoke contains more than 60 different toxic substances, which are known to be carcinogenic.
If you smoke more than 25 cigarettes a day, you are 25 times more likely to get lung cancer than someone who does not smoke.
Frequent exposure to other people’s tobacco smoke – known as passive or secondhand smoking – can also increase your risk of developing lung cancer.
Aside from cigarettes, the following products can also put you at risk of the disease:
- Cigars
- Pipe tobacco
- Snuff (a powdered form of tobacco)
- Chewing tobacco
- Cannabis (especially when mixed with tobacco)
Source: NHS
