Sources:
- Office for National Statistics – Adult smoking habits in Great Britain
- Smoking data prior to 1974 from Wald, N. and Nicolaides-Bouman, A. (1991) UK Smoking Statistics. 2nd edition, Oxford University Press.
Notes:
- All persons aged 16 and over.
- 1974 to 1998 data unweighted, 2000 to 2021 data weighted.
- Data on cigarette use were collected on a 2-yearly basis prior to 2000.
- Estimates prior to 2005 are based on a fiscal year rather than a calendar year.
- Estimates for 2004 and 2005 both include the period 1 January 2005 to 31 March 2005 as a result of a change in survey period from a fiscal year to a calendar year.
- Estimates for 2006 to 2011 include longitudinal data.
- Weighted bases are given to the nearest thousand.
- From 20 March 2020 the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) became weekly, to understand the impact COVID-19 on life in Great Britain. As a result of this change, the sample size was significantly increased in 2020.
- From 25 August 2021, as Great Britain moved to a period where COVID-19 restrictions had been lifted, the OPN covered roughly fortnightly periods.
| Key dates | |
|---|---|
| 1962 | Publication: Smoking and Health - Royal College of Physicians The report often cited as the beginning of changes in attitudes towards smoking. |
| 1964 | Television Act The Government used the 1964 Television Act to ban commercials from advertising cigarettes. (Introduced in 1965). |
| 1971 | Introduction of health warnings on packaging Introduced government warnings onto all cigarette packaging. |
| 2006 | Health Act Banned smoking in enclosed public spaces. (Introduced in 2007) |
