Wolverhampton now has 5,000 fewer smokers than in 2015

There are now 5,000 fewer smokers in the city than in 2015 and council bosses are hoping to encourage more residents to kick the habit.

Councillor Hazel Malcolm, cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: “Reducing smoking rates across the city remains a top public health priority for us and this is a great step in the right direction.

“Despite this, smoking remains the largest preventable cause of death in Wolverhampton and is responsible for nearly 1,800 hospital admissions a year.

“We want to drive down smoking rates still further, and so are working towards making Wolverhampton a smoke-free city.”

Figures from Public Heath England revealed that the number of adult smokers had dropped from 16.5 per cent in 2015 to 14.4 per cent last year.

It means smoking rates in the city are now lower than the national average of 14.9 per cent.

The council’s regulatory services team said it has continued to tackle illicit tobacco, while high duty prices for tobacco products nationwide have made them less affordable.

Staff have also been working with children and young people to prevent them from taking up smoking through programmes with schools, educating pupils about the dangers of smoking and putting up ‘smoke-free’ signs around schools.

Councillor Malcolm added: “Smokers tell us they want us to make it harder for them to smoke in the first place.

“Promoting smoke-free areas, such as parks, will not only protect people from the effects of passive smoking and prevent smokers from lighting up in the first place, but also reduce the visibility of smoking across Wolverhampton.

“While we of course want to stop people smoking in the first place, there is support available to anyone who wants to quit.”