New analysis from Public Health Wales shows that were an average of 3,845 deaths in Wales in 2022 were due to smoking in Wales every year between 2020 and 2022: more than one in ten of all deaths amongst those over 35.  

The new analysis highlights the significant health impact of smoking across the country, also emphasising the stark inequalities between the most and least deprived communities, with the rate of deaths attributable to smoking three times higher in the most deprived communities compared to the least deprived..  

In addition to being the leading cause of preventable illness and death, the analysis also showed that on average more than 17,000 hospital admissions each year in Wales were attributable to smoking, adding significant pressure to the healthcare system. Rates of smoking attributable hospital admissions were also twice as high for residents of the most deprived communities compared to those in the least deprived. 

Public Health Wales welcomes the announcement in the King’s Speech that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, first introduced by the previous UK government, will return to parliament in the current term. Public Health Wales welcomed the provisions of the previous Bill, including banning the sale of tobacco to everyone born after 1 January 2009 as an important step to reducing the harms of smoking to the Welsh population.