According to a study, only one in 10 English will be smokers here 2023

The forecast was made after 400,000 people quit smoking in England last year, leaving 6.1 million smokers, or 14.9 percent of the country's population, according to the Office for National Statistics. This represents a decrease of 15.5% over the previous year and 19.8% in 2011.

PHE predicted that between 8.5% and 11.7% of people will smoke in 2023 if current trends continue.

The organization's general manager, Duncan Selbie, urged the National Health Service (NHS) to commit to the goal of making Britain smoke-free by 2030, this year. which means that less than 5% of the population will smoke. event at the beginning of the month.

However, PHE warned that the majority of people who are trying to quit do not use the most effective methods.

Six out of ten smokers want to quit, but most of them rely only on the will – or on the "cold turkey" – which is the least effective way to stop, said the # 39, health organization.

The organization launched its Stoptober campaign Thursday, encouraging people to give up cigarettes for 28 days in October.

"Britain is a world leader in tobacco control and our stringent policies mean that smoking rates have reached extremely low levels," Public Health Minister Steve Brine said in a statement announcing the campaign. .

He added: "But we are not complacent – we know we must do everything we can to continue to encourage smokers to stop."

There were 77,900 smoking-related deaths – down 2% from the previous year – in 2016 in England, the last year for which data are available, according to the NHS.

The poorest smokers "left behind"

Although the numbers indicate that the total number of smokers in England is falling rapidly, more needs to be done to reduce inequalities in order to create a "truly smoke-free society," according to one expert.

"Although smoking rates are falling on average, the poorest and most disadvantaged smokers are being left behind.There is a need for funding for the government to achieve the vision of a smoke-free society by 2030", said Deborah Arnott Action on Smoking and Health, told CNN.

Mr. Arnott asked that the tobacco industry levy a polluter-pays tax, and that money be spent to fund tobacco control measures and campaigns.

"Tobacco companies are among the most profitable companies in the world and can easily afford the cost of radical action to lower smoking rates," she said.