New figures from the ONS, show that the smoking prevalence in Birmingham is at a record low of 12.2%, down from 13.6% (-1.4) in 2023, with rates reducing from 10.9% down to 10.4% (-0.5) nationally.
Birmingham has seen 6,690 4-week quits in 2024, driven by stop-smoking programmes delivered across the city. Progress is continuing to be driven by Birmingham City Council expanding these services via the smokefree generation grant funding, signalling important progress in tackling health inequalities and achieving Smokefree 2030.
Graph 1: Smoking prevalence in Birmingham from 2011 – 2024 (ONS Smoking Prevalence Estimates)
Despite this progress, tobacco use accounts for approximately 74,600 deaths each year in England with smoking costing Birmingham residents an estimated 288 million pounds a year. However, this year marks the second year of the Smokefree Generation Grant, with Birmingham City Council leveraging this to accelerate its smoke-free initiatives. The council continue to drive a range of programmes, including:
- Local GP and pharmacy led cessation services
- Tailored services for those with severe mental illness
- Tailored services for those accessing substance misuse services and rough sleeping
- Stop-smoking training programmes for VCSFE organisations to deliver stop smoking advice
- Locality specific stop-smoking projects
- City-wide campaigns to increase motivation and awareness of services
In September, Birmingham City Council Public Health hosted its first-ever Smokefree Conference, bringing together senior representatives from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (West Midlands), NHS, Public Health and local medical and pharmaceutical committees. The event showcased the Council’s ongoing commitment to tackling smoking and reflected on the successes of the first year of the national grant programme. It also set out innovative plans to accelerate progress towards the Government’s Smokefree 2030 ambition, with a renewed focus on smoking cessation as a public health priority.
Responding to the figures, Councillor Mariam Khan, Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care said: “It’s encouraging to see rates at an all-time low, which highlights the effectiveness of our stop smoking services and tailored programmes in helping residents to quit smoking in Birmingham.
“However, with over 1 in 10 adults still smoking in Birmingham, we cannot be complacent and must continue this momentum. We urge residents who smoke to contemplate the benefits of quitting and to utilise the local resources available to them. Our complimentary cessation programs are personalised to meet individual needs, making the journey to a smoke-free life more attainable than ever before.”
For more information about local stop smoking support and services, residents are encouraged to visit the Birmingham City Council website: birmingham.gov.uk/stopsmoking
