The number of people smoking in Greater Manchester is continuing to fall – but some boroughs still have higher smoking rates than the national average.
Figures released from the Office for National Statistics show, after an increase in 2020, the number of smokers in Greater Manchester has continued to fall for the third successive year.
While there may be a general regional trend away from smoking, though, some people’s hands are forced, as their lives depend on them quitting – like Paresh Mistry, who used to smoke five to 10 cigarettes a day and stopped completely at the age of 44.
Mistry was told by doctors he had to adopt a healthier lifestyle after experiencing heart problems and needed surgery to fit a defibrillator.
This meant he had to quit smoking as the damage to his heart could not be improved, but only monitored.
He said: “Going cold turkey was a little difficult – however, trying to start a family and not die was a great motivator.”
The 49-year-old from Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, reflected that the benefits on his health have meant he has been able to see his son grow up and lead a healthier life.
“It was something that I had to and needed to do.”
In 2023 Tameside had the highest percentage of smokers of all the boroughs in Greater Manchester, at 15.9%. This is above the both the average for Greater Manchester and the national average of 11.6%.
Despite this, the smoking rate in Tameside has decreased dramatically since 2022, falling by 21.3%.
Councillor Tafheen Sharif, Tameside Council’s executive member for population health and wellbeing, equalities and cohesion, said: “In Tameside we’re working really hard to reduce the rate of people who smoke and according to this year’s National Annual Population survey the percentage of adult smokers in our borough has decreased from 20.2% to 15.9%.
“We’ve also had great success with pregnancy smoking rates falling from 11.6% in 2022-23 to 6.9% in 2023-24.
“We are committed to Tameside’s Tobacco-free Plan to continue to address and reduce smoking rates and tobacco use. Part of this includes providing and promoting a range of support services and initiatives to support our residents to become smokefree. Be Well Tameside offer up to 12 weeks of stop smoking support through a range of stop smoking aids and people can self-refer themselves into the service.”
Even though the council’s Be Well Tameside scheme helps those trying to quit, Mistry decided to do it on his own.
He said: “I am proud and a fairly private person, so I preferred to do it my way. I wanted to be in control and not having to report back to a group in a rehabilitation setting.”
Women in Greater Manchester are smoking less
Not all boroughs in Greater Manchester are experiencing a decline in smoking rates.
Salford had the second highest rate for smokers, 15.4%, and was one of few boroughs in which smoking rates marginally increased after 2022.
Laila Brookes, 17, tried her first cigarette at the age of 11 after seeing her friends smoking at the bus stop.
She said: “I got into it because of the people who I was around.
“I just thought I looked mint to chainsmoke, it was more of an aesthetic thing.”
Brookes mentioned how smoking felt glamorised, especially amongst women at the time – in line with impressions that smoking felt rebellious.
The number of female smokers in 2023 in Greater Manchester has fallen by 21% from 2022, falling below the national average for the first time since 2019.
Smoking amongst men in Greater Manchester remained above the national average and marginally declined between 2022 and 2023.
Brookes, who is from Irlam, Salford, said when she first tried smoking cigarettes she did not enjoy it and hated the taste – but got used to it and has become a social smoker.
She said: “When I’m drunk especially, something switches in my brain.
“They’re such a big part of pub life – it’s impossible to imagine them being banned, I’m out there all the time with my mates.”
Brookes is aware of the health risks of smoking, but is also concerned about the effects of e-cigarettes – which she said more of her friends are now taking up as they can vape “anywhere”.
Efforts to cut back smoking rates
Smoking charities, such as Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), are still keen to emphasise the serious risks of smoking cigarettes and warn against its impact.
Caroline Cerny, Deputy Chief Executive of ASH, said: “The sustained drop in smoking among people in Greater Manchester is good news and is thanks to the comprehensive citywide plan and investment made over many years.
“Despite progress, smoking rates in the region tend to be above the national average and this reflects a wider trend of higher smoking prevalence in the North of England compared to the South.
“Greater Manchester must maintain the focus on tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death if it’s to bring smoking levels down to those of the most affluent parts of the country.”
While smoking rates in London are lower than Greater Manchester and the rest of the UK, the city-region is decreasing the gap – with smoking rates falling at a quicker rate.
And the North West as a whole saw a dramatic decrease in smoking rates as numbers fell by 19% between the years of 2021 and 2023, after a peak in rates in the year of 2021. This represents a higher decrease than areas in the south of England.
Cerny said: “Tobacco will kill two-thirds of all long-term smokers. To end the devastating harm caused by tobacco, we need sustained and comprehensive measures to support people to quit and prevent people from starting smoking in the first place.”
As smoking rates continue to fall questions arise to what can be done to make Britain smoke free and the Governments role within this.
While challenges remain, data shows a promising shift towards healthier lifestyles – now the focus is on how to ensure this is true nationwide.
Featured image: Kovid Rathee
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