THE proportion of people smoking in Bolton is declining, a new public heath document has stated.

The director of public health for Bolton, Helen Lowey, has written and recently published the Annual Report 2019-20: The Health and Wellbeing of Bolton which was introduced to councillors at a cabinet meeting earlier this month.

In the report Mrs Lowey notes that the  proportion of smokers in Bolton is going down.

She said: “Patterns and trends in smoking in Bolton are similar to those in the North West region and England.

“Smoking prevalence has been declining in recent years.

“The decline has been faster in Bolton, where rates are now similar to the national average.

“In Bolton 16 per cent of adults smoke and 14 per cent of pregnant women smoke at time of delivery.

“People from the lowest socio-economic group in Bolton are three times more likely to smoke than people in the other groups.

“Bolton residents suffer a higher than average burden of ill health due to smoking.

“The rates of hospital admission for smoking attributable conditions and deaths from smoking attributable causes are both significantly higher in Bolton than in England as a whole.”

Mrs Lowey adds: “Smoking is the leading cause of preventable ill health and premature deaths in the UK and one of the main causes of health inequalities in England, with the harm concentrated in more disadvantaged communities and groups.

“One in four patients in hospital beds are smokers and smokers see their GP 35 per cent more than non-smokers.”

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