Smoking-related illnesses put 35,000 in hospital a year, report says

The number of people smoking has dropped by about 10% since 2011, the report says

Almost 35,000 people are hospitalised each year due to smoking-related illnesses, an NI Audit Office report has said.

The number of people smoking has dropped by about 10% since 2011.

But prevalence remains "concerningly high" among some of the "most vulnerable" groups.

The report said smoking-related illnesses cost the health service about £218m annually.

The Tackling the Public Health Impacts of Smoking and Vaping report was published on Tuesday.

Auditor general Dorinnia Carville said smoking was to blame for "some of the largest health inequalities locally".

"Smoking related deaths are 98% higher in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived," she said.

"Similarly, lung cancer deaths are 151% higher and women are more than four times as likely to smoke during pregnancy."

Key statistics from the NI Audit Office report include:

• About 2,200 of deaths in Northern Ireland are attributable to smoking

• £3.23m was spent by the Public Health Agency (PHA) on tobacco control in 2021-22

• A total of 8,000 people set "quit dates" in 2022-23 through PHA funded services

Among the recommendations made in the report is a suggestion that the health service consider the budgetary requirements for delivering a future combined tobacco and vaping strategy.

It states vaping levels among adults had almost doubled from 5% of the population to 9% between 2014-15 and 2022-23.

Ms Carville said this showed "a greater need to focus on prevention, supported by enhanced enforcement of tobacco and vaping regulations".

The government has announced plans to ban the use of disposable vapes as part of plans to tackle the rising number of young people taking up vaping

"The reduction in overall smoking prevalence over the last decade highlights how progress is achievable in this area, but the issue clearly remains a major threat to public health and a strain on public finances," Ms Carville added.

The UK government has announced plans to ban the use of disposable vapes as part of plans to tackle the rising number of young people taking up vaping.

Measures will also be introduced to prevent vapes being marketed at children and to target under-age sales.

In the absence of the Northern Ireland Executive, the Department of Health said it would make preparations to allow a future health minister to take a decision on the ban.