Health: More people in Calderdale are smoking, Office for National Statistics figures show

Office for National Statistics figures recorded the lowest proportion of smokers in the UK to date, with e-cigarettes playing a "major role" in the decline.

The ONS data shows 14.8% of people aged over 18 in Calderdale were smokers in 2021, up slightly from 14.7% the year before. However, it was a fall from 18.7% five years ago.

Last year, a further 25.8% of adults in the area were ex-smokers while 59.5% had never smoked.

Men in Calderdale smoked more than women with 16.4% taking up cigarettes, while 13.2% of women smoked.

Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, welcomed the overall fall in smoking levels, but said the Government must not become "complacent".

Ms Cheeseman added that without a new tobacco plan from the Government, "the vision of being smoke free by 2030" will not be met.

The current tobacco control plan aims to reduce smoking prevalence among adults in England to 12% or less by the end of 2022.

Regionally, 14.1% of adults in Yorkshire and The Humber were smokers with those aged from 25 to 34 (19%) making up the highest proportion of smokers.

The ONS said the increase in people taking up e-cigarettes has played a "major role" in the fall with a separate survey finding 7.7% of those aged 16 and over in Great Britain last year used an e-cigarette daily or occasionally.