Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) was 12.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of current tobacco use in United Kingdom, 2000–2024
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of adults.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 12.8% for prevalence of current tobacco use in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.5% on the previous year and down 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of current tobacco use in United Kingdom peaked at 38.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 12.8%, in 2024.
United Kingdom ranks 111th of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % of adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 38.2% | — |
| 2005 | 30.3% | -20.7% |
| 2007 | 27.7% | -8.6% |
| 2010 | 24.2% | -12.6% |
| 2015 | 19.2% | -20.7% |
| 2020 | 15.3% | -20.3% |
| 2022 | 14.0% | -8.5% |
| 2023 | 13.4% | -4.3% |
| 2024 | 12.8% | -4.5% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 12.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 21.2%, 60% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 12.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 26.1%, 49% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 32.1% | 27.7% | 38.2% | 3 |
| 2010s | 21.7% | 19.2% | 24.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 13.9% | 12.8% | 15.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More health data for United Kingdom
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 461 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7128 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7724 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of current tobacco use in United Kingdom?
- Prevalence of current tobacco use in United Kingdom was 12.8% in 2024, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 38.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.8% in 2024.
- How does United Kingdom rank for prevalence of current tobacco use?
- United Kingdom ranks 111th out of 166 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of current tobacco use rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The percentage of the population ages 15 years and over who currently use any tobacco product (smoked and/or smokeless tobacco) on a daily or non-daily basis. Tobacco products include cigarettes, pipes, cigars, cigarillos, waterpipes (hookah, shisha), bidis, kretek, heated tobacco products, and all forms of smokeless (oral and nasal) tobacco. Tobacco products exclude e-cigarettes (which do not contain tobacco), “e-cigars”, “e-hookahs”, JUUL and “e-pipes”. The rates are age-standardized to the WHO Standard Population.