A smoke-free England could boost the economy by over £10.9 billion according to ‘milestone’ academic research.
The research, led by the University of Sheffield’s Addictions Research Group in collaboration with the University of Nottingham, is the first to suggest the potential scale of economic benefits if the country quit smoking.
The study found that areas with higher smoking prevalence and lower average incomes would benefit the most, reducing class disparity.
Dr Duncan Gillespie, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health, said: “The overall money going back into smoker’s pockets would be higher,
“but we have focused on the maximum spending opportunities which would benefit local economies, if the money was spent within the local community.”
It would equate to £1,776 per smoker or £246 per adult living in the UK regardless of their smoking status.
In a survey completed by The Tab at the University of Bristol, over 50 per cent of students said they smoked.
The study suggests the possible advantages of the smoke-free generation policy being debated in parliament.
This would mean anyone aged 15 or under in 2024 would never legally be sold tobacco products.
In data provided by Action on Smoking and Health from March 2024, about 400,000 11 to 15 year olds in England have tried smoking at some point and about 100,000 smoke now.
Lead author of the paper, Dr Damon Morris, from the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health, said: “Our findings underscore the potential for targeted tobacco control policies to alleviate financial burdens on households and promote economic prosperity.”
He said that the new research, published in the journal Tobacco Control, is a milestone in the understanding of the economic implications of achieving a smoke-free generation.
