Record numbers of smokers kick the habit during lockdown as 643,000 people in England quit in 12 months - more than DOUBLE the previous year

Smoking rates in England have fallen dramatically in the past 12 months, new figures reveal. 

Data from the UCL Smoking Toolkit Study, which regularly surveys households in the country, shows more than 643,000 smokers in England quit in the past year to August compared with 307,000 in 2019.

The figures come after experts revealed attitudes towards smoking had been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. 

If the trend continues to the end of the year, it will be the biggest drop since 2008-2009 when it plummeted from 24.2 to 22 per cent. 

More than 643,000 smokers in England have quit in the past 12 months, a study by the UCL Smoking Toolkit Study revealed

According to the study, the number of smokers ditching their cigarettes had risen to 8.5 per cent this year- almost double the rate in 2019 which was 4.3 per cent.

Hazel Cheeseman, director of policy at Action on Smoking and Health , told The Sunday Times: 'The figures are phenomenal. This is a substantial increase, which seems likely to be driven by the pandemic.'

She added: 'The disruption to daily routines caused by social distancing and stay-athome restrictions may have reduced or eliminated smoking or drinking cues, making it easier to change behaviour.'

Data, which showed smoking in the country was now at just 4.7 per cent, also revealed that an overall 23.2 per cent of those trying to ditch their cigarettes had been successful compared to just 14.2 per cent in 2019. 

The figures comes after Public Health England launched 'Stoptober', a campaign to encourage people to quit smoking for 28 days.

In 2017, smoking was attributed to the deaths of 77,800 people and there were an estimated 489,300 hospital admissions due to smoking from 2017 to 2018.  

Smoking tobacco causes around seven in ten lung cancer cases in the UK and remains the biggest preventable cause of cancer, according to Cancer Research UK.

Last year, Health Secretary Matt Hancock set out the Government's vision for a 'smoke-free' England by 2030. 

However leading charity Cancer Research UK later claimed the Government would fall short of its pledge if current trends continue. 

It comes after the Government revealed it was aiming to have the UK 'smokefree' by 2030. (Stock image)

Dr Katrina Brown, Cancer Research UK statistics manager, said: 'Our modelling suggests that if the 2030 target is achieved, there could be around 3.4 million fewer smokers in England compared with today. But unless Government acts to make smoking rates fall faster, we're unlikely to reach the target.

'Smoking is the biggest cause of cancer, leading to around 120 cases of cancer in England every day, so it's vital that the government tackles tobacco to prevent illness and suffering.'  

Last month, Scott Crosby, tobacco control programme manager at Public Health England, said: 'We know that the pandemic has affected many of our lives but also our personal health and vulnerability to illness and we want to see how we can build our immune system. 

'So there's multiple reasons for this, obviously being in lockdown with family and friends and not being able to socialise but I think the growing importance of people's personal health has really increased over that time.

Mr Crosby added: 'It's brought it to the top of the to-do list.'