Smoking
8.16 Smoking is the single most important avoidable risk factor for cancers (especially lung cancer), heart disease, many other diseases and low birth weight. The Health Development Agency (HDA, now NICE) has estimated that smoking causes around 87% of lung cancer deaths and 57% of all cancer deaths. The HDA also estimated that 17% of deaths due to circulatory disease can be attributed to smoking.
8.17 Fewer people are smoking, although there are now slightly more female than male smokers. Nationally between 1998 and 2006, the number of men who smoke dropped from 29% to 23%, while the numbers of women smokers moved from 26% to 21% (General Household Survey 2006).
8.18 The General Household Survey also shows that smoking prevalence in adults in the South West in 2005 and 2006 is higher than in England overall (see figure). Between 1998 and 2006 the number of men who smoke dropped from 26% to 22%, while the number of women smokers moved from 25% to 23%. There is a higher smoking prevalence in manual groups than in non-manual groups in England and a similar relationship is likely to be found in the South West.
