Tobacco

Tobacco use is the biggest public health threat globally and up to half of all current users will die of a tobacco-related disease. It is a risk factor for many health conditions including lung, throat, mouth, breast and colorectal cancer; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema; cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke; miscarriage and low birth weight in babies; and hypertensive heart disease (caused by high blood pressure).

For statistics on smoking during pregnancy, please see our maternity and infancy section.

Local strategy: Tobacco Free Lancashire and South Cumbria Strategy 2023-2028

Key findings

Rates are directly standardised and are per 100,000 of the population aged 18 and over, unless otherwise stated. 

Smoking prevalence Annual Population Survey (APS), 2021-23

• In the Lancashire-12 area, an estimated 13.4% of adults (18+) smoke, which is statistically similar to the England estimate of 12.4%. At a district level, Fylde (7.9%) and Ribble Valley (6.0%) both have statistically significantly lower prevalence of smoking whilst all other districts are statistically similar to England
• Blackburn with Darwen (17.2%) and Blackpool (20%) both have a significantly higher estimated proportion of adult smokers compared to England.

Priority population prevalence

• 23.2% of adults in routine and manual occupations (18-64 years) are estimated to be smokers in Lancashire, similar to the England prevalence of 19.5% (APS, 2023) – districts with available prevalence are all statistically similar to England. This is also the case for Blackburn with Darwen (28.7%) and Blackpool (23.5%).
• 9.6% of women in Lancashire were estimated to be smokers at the time of delivery (all births, 2023/24), which is significantly worse than England (7.4%); however, the trend data shows this is decreasing (getting better).
• Burnley (11.4%), Hyndburn (11.4%), Pendle (11.4%), Rossendale (11.4%), Ribble Valley (10.5%), West Lancashire (9.7%), and Wyre (9.5%) all have statistically higher prevalence of smoking at time of delivery when compared with England. When benchmarked with Lancashire, Preston's prevalence of 7.8% is statistically lower than the Lancashire average (9.8%). Trend data shows West Lancashire and Wyre are seeing a decline in this prevalence whilst the other districts are seeing no significant change.
• Blackpool has a statistically higher proportion of women that were smokers at the time of delivery (17.5%) when compared with England whilst in Blackburn the proportion is significantly lower (7.6%), both local authorities have a declining trend.

Smoking Quitters (2022/23)

• In the period 2022/23, approximately 2,811 people (16+ years) were recorded as ‘successful quitters at four weeks’ in the Lancashire-12 area, giving a rate of 2,041 per 100,000 smokers, which is significantly better than the England rate (1,620).
• In Blackburn with Darwen the rate of successful quitters (1,219) is worse, whilst in Blackpool (2,574) it is significantly better.

Hospital admissions and mortality rates

• • During the 2019/20 period, Lancashire-12 (1,465 per 100,000), Blackburn with Darwen (1,768), and Blackpool (3,071) recorded a significantly higher rate of smoking-attributable hospital admissions compared to England (1,398 per 100,000).
  • The smoking-attributable mortality rate is significantly higher in Lancashire-12 (229.1 per 100,000), Blackburn with Darwen (321.6), and Blackpool (379.9) compared to England (202.2) (2017-19).
  • Mortality rates from lung cancer and COPD are statistically significantly higher in Lancashire (53.7% and 51.2% respectively) when compared with England (47.5% and 43.9% respectively).

For county and unitary data and further information please see below. The Local Tobacco Control Profiles for England also provide local data alongside national comparators to support health improvement.

Page updated July 2025