A third of people in parts of Bradford smoke, with 'shocking' numbers lighting up through pregnancy
A new report into smoking in Bradford shows that there is huge disparity between smoking rates in the District’s most deprived areas and its most affluent ones.
SMOKING costs the Bradford District £455 MILLION a year, and is the leading cause of the gap in life expectancy in the area.
A new report into smoking in Bradford shows that there is huge disparity between smoking rates in the District’s most deprived areas and its most affluent ones.
And it also details the shocking number of women in the District continue smoking throughout pregnancy.
The report, which goes before a meeting of Bradford Council’s Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday, says the average smoker spends £2,338 a year on tobacco.
The Council’s public health team will discuss how smoking rates vary dramatically across the district and have a “disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations” and leads to a “cycle of ill health and financial hardship” in poorer communities.
Tables in the report show how smoking rates are much higher in the more deprived areas of the District.
In the City ward 35 per cent of people over the age of 15 smoke. In the more affluent Wharfedale ward just 6.9 per cent of adults smoke.
Other areas with high rates of smoking include Tong (25.9 per cent), Keighley Central (23.7 per cent) and Eccleshill (22.3 per cent).
The report says: “Smoking is responsible for a considerable reduction in life expectancy, with smokers losing an average of ten years compared to non-smokers.
“In Bradford, the smoking prevalence among those aged 15 and over stands at 17.1 per cent of the population; 90,854 (2022/2023).
“A general downward trend continues to be observed in Bradford in line with England since 2011 however the district continues to have higher smoking prevalence, smoking attributable admissions, and smoking related deaths than England.
“One of the most concerning aspects of smoking is its disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations. Smoking is the leading cause for the gap in life expectancy between rich and poor. Disadvantaged smokers are least likely to try to quit and less likely to succeed.
“Beyond its health consequences, smoking is deeply entwined with social and economic issues. Many smokers find themselves trapped in a cycle of ill health and financial hardship, as smoking-related expenses and health consequences push them further into poverty.
“Households with at least one smoker are more likely to fall below the poverty line, and smokers are significantly more likely to require social care support at an earlier age.
“The economic burden of smoking in Bradford is significant with an estimated annual cost across healthcare expenditures, lost productivity, social care demands, and fire-related incidents in the millions.”
Figures in the report, provided by Action on Smoking and Health, show that smoking costs Bradford £455m a year. This includes £285m worth of lost productivity, £143m in social care costs, £22.3m in health costs and £3.78m in costs due to fires caused by smoking.
It adds: “An estimated £137m is spent by consumers on purchasing tobacco (legal and illicit) annually in Bradford.
“The national average spend on tobacco is £2,338 per smoker.”
The report also highlights worrying details of how many people smoke during pregnancy in Bradford.
It says: “Among pregnant women, smoking rates vary significantly, with some areas experiencing rates as high as 25 per cent.
“The average for the district is 8.9 per cent, or 500 women in 2023-24, which is above the national average of 7.5 per cent.
“Smoking during pregnancy is the leading modifiable risk factor for poor birth outcomes, increasing the risk of stillbirth, premature birth, miscarriages, birth defects and sudden infant death syndrome. The prevalence of smoking in pregnancy is influenced by place of residence, and can be as high as 25 per cent among women residents in Keighley West and 22.7 per cent in Tong.”
The report shows that 20.5 per cent of mothers who describe themselves as white British are smokers at the time of delivery. For women who identify as White (other) the figure rises to 25 per cent. Just 2.3 per cent of Asian women smoke when pregnant.
Members of the committee will be given an update on the work being done to reduce smoking rates in the District.
Referring to the report, Caroline Cerny, Action on Smoking and Health said: “Smoking rates in Bradford have kept pace with national declines helping to save many lives over the last decade.
“However, Bradford still has more smokers than many parts of the country due to historically high rates linked to levels of disadvantage in the area.
“Given that smoking will kill two-thirds of long-term smokers and places a major burden on local services and the economy it is vital that the comprehensive and sustained approach taken to reduce smoking in Bradford is maintained.”