Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Smoking, a habit that has plagued humanity for centuries, continues to wreak havoc on the health and well-being of individuals and societies worldwide. The detrimental effects of smoking on physical and mental health are well-documented, ranging from increased risk of various cancers, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Despite the overwhelming evidence against smoking, millions of people continue to light up each day, oblivious to the long-term consequences they are inviting upon themselves and their loved ones.
The proportion of English adults who smoke cigarettes but don’t do so daily has risen over the past two decades, while the number motivated to quit has dropped, according to a recent study by UCL researchers.
Published in BMC Medicine, the study examined cigarette use among 353,711 adults in England, including 66,792 current smokers, with an average age of 49. The survey data, spanning from 2006 to 2024, revealed a decrease in overall smoking rates from 24.6% to 13.7%. However, the share of smokers who smoke occasionally rather than daily rose significantly from 11.0% to 27.2%.
This trend was most notable among younger adults and those who also vaped. Among 18-year-olds, occasional smoking increased from 15.6% to 52.8%, while among vapers, it rose from 8.6% to 34.2%.
While the weekly average cigarette consumption for non-daily smokers dropped from 34.3 between 2006 and 2009 to 21.1 between 2021 and 2024, these smokers’ desire to quit entirely also declined. The proportion of non-daily smokers highly motivated to quit within the next three months decreased from 30.8% to 21.0% over the same period.
The lead author Dr Sarah Jackson of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care says “Cigarette smoking is incredibly harmful, even for people who don’t smoke every day. Non-daily smokers represent a substantial and growing proportion of smokers, but they often underestimate the harms of their smoking and appear to be decreasingly motivated to quit.
“It can be very difficult to quit smoking, and non-daily smoking is no exception, but a range of effective forms of support are available to boost people’s chances of success. Public health campaigns are needed to raise awareness of the harms of non-daily smoking and encourage all smokers to try to quit using the most effective methods.”
The authors propose that the rise in occasional smoking might be a response to higher cigarette and tobacco prices, prompting younger adults with limited disposable income to buy and smoke these products less frequently.
They also suggest that the growing appeal of vaping could help smokers go longer between cigarettes without facing withdrawal symptoms, potentially reducing their motivation to quit, especially if they’re unsure of vaping’s relative safety.
According to the authors, public awareness campaigns could play a role in clarifying the distinctions between vaping and smoking, highlighting vaping as a useful tool for quitting tobacco altogether. They also recommend that health messaging focused on reducing smoking rates should address the health risks associated with even occasional smoking.
Dr. Ian Walker, Cancer Research UK’s Executive Director of Policy, indicated that while it is encouraging to see people bringing down their tobacco intake, they know that any amount of smoking harms health. This is why they urge the UK Government to ensure that everyone has access to the resources needed to quit permanently, with sustainable funding for cessation services across the UK as a critical part of this effort.
“Smoking rates do not fall on their own – they come down with government action. It’s vital that the UK Government introduces legislation to raise the age of sale of tobacco products. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help to build a healthier future, prevent cancer, and protect people from a lifetime of deadly addiction.”
