THE NUMBER of people in Worcestershire who smoke has dropped significantly in the past five years and the number smoking related deaths in the county is now 13 per cent lower than the national average.

The latest figures published by Public Health England (PHE) on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Smokefree legislation, which banned people from lighting up inside bars, clubs, restaurants and other enclosed public places and the workplace, show a dramatic decline in smoking rates across the West Midlands as a whole.

According to a PHE Health Profile of Worcestershire last year, there were 862 smoking-related deaths in the county – this is a rate of 239 per 100,000 population compared to the England average rate of 275.

PHE figures also show 17.2 per cent of the population in Worcestershire smoked in 2012 and, despite a spike in 2014 when the rate went up, this fell to 13.5 per cent in 2016 – compared with the England average rate of 15.5 per cent.

A series of new laws introduced from 2007 relating to smoking, tax on cigarettes, advertising and packaging of cigarettes are said to have made a major impact on the rates of smoking in Worcestershire and across the country.

Some of the Government action over the past 10 years includes:

• Smokefree legislation – illegal to smoke in an enclosed public place (2007)

• Increase in the legal age of sale of tobacco to 18 (2007)

• Introduction of graphic health warnings on packs (2008)

• Ban of sale of cigarettes in vending machines (2011)

• Introduction of 2 per cent above inflation tax on tobacco (2011)

• Ban on display of tobacco in shops (2012/2015)

• Offence for people to buy tobacco for under 18s (2014)

• Ban of smoking in cars with under 18s present (2015)

• Introduction of standard packaging (2016/17)

• Introduction of minimum pack size (2016/17)

Mr Selbie praised this phenomenal success and the huge benefits the legislation has brought – encouraging large numbers of smokers to quit and helping improve health among both ex-smokers and non-smokers alike.

He said: "The Smokefree legislation has been extraordinary in the way we now experience and enjoy pubs, clubs, restaurants and so many other public places. Young people have not had to experience the smoke filled bars and clubs that once choked their parents and workers. They’ve grown up in a world where smoking is no longer socially acceptable.

“The law has played a key part in the huge cultural change we have seen in the past decade, especially among younger people, a change that has literally saved thousands from disabling chronic diseases and premature death.”

New figures from PHE show that the number of smokers aged 35 and over dying from heart disease in the West Midlands has fallen significantly from 39.5 per 100,000 head population in 2007-09 to 29.5 in 2013-15; while deaths from stroke have fallen from 12.7 per 100,000 head population in 2007-09 to 9.5 in 2013-15.

Mr Selbie added: “The Smokefree legacy has had a phenomenally positive impact on societal attitudes to smoking and smokers have seized the opportunity by quitting in unprecedented numbers and, of those still smoking, half have chosen to smoke outside of their own homes to protect their families from second hand smoke. The Smokefree legislation was undoubtedly the single most important public health reform in generations.”

The smoking indoor ban was the first, and the most important, in a series of 10 pieces of tobacco legislation over 10 years.

He said: “We’ve seen cigarettes stubbed out in public places, become far less visible in shops and had large graphic warnings put on packs starkly explaining what these things do to the human body.”

Dr Lola Abudu, PHE West Midlands director of Health and Wellbeing, said: “The introduction of the ban on smoking in public places was one of the most important pieces of public health legislation to ever be introduced in this country and its impact has been dramatic.

“Not just in terms of its contribution to reducing smoking rates but also in terms of firmly embedding in our culture the importance of the public’s health and that smoking is no longer the norm.

“In the West Midlands we have come a long way since 2007, reducing the numbers of adults smoking from 23 per cent to 15 per cent. However there are still too many people risking their health by smoking especially in the most deprived areas of the region and we must continue to support them to give up smoking for good.”

Worcestershire County Councillor John Smith, cabinet member with responsibility for Health and Wellbeing and Health and Wellbeing Board chairman, is continuing to urge the county's smokers to give up.

He said: "Stopping smoking is still one of the best things you can do for your health and is one of the biggest causes of premature death in Worcestershire, with figures showing over 2,500 smoking attributable deaths in Worcestershire between 2012 and 2014."

According to Heart UK – the cholesterol charity

• Smoking kills about half of all persistent smokers

• Smoking stimulates the formation of fatty plaques (known as atheroma) leading to the narrowing of arteries and reduced blood flow.

• Smoking also depresses the levels of HDL (good) cholesterol in the blood and increases the total cholesterol to HDL ratio (TC:HDL) an indicator of cardiovascular risk.

• Nicotine and carbon monoxide constrict blood vessels. Nicotine stimulates the bloody to produce adrenaline which speeds up the heart rate and makes the heart work harder. Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood.

The NHS adds:

• Smoking causes about 90 per cent of lung cancers. It also causes cancer in many other parts of the body including the mouth, lips, throat, voice box (larynx), oesophagus (the tube between your mouth and stomach), bladder, kidney, liver, stomach and pancreas.

• Smoking damages a person’s heart and blood circulation, increasing the risk of developing conditions such as coronary heart disease; heart attack; stroke; peripheral vascular disease (damaged blood vessels); cerebrovascular disease (damaged arteries that supply blood to your brain).

• Smoking also damages the lungs, leading to conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which incorporates bronchitis and emphysema; pneumonia

• Smoking can also worsen or prolong the symptoms of respiratory conditions such as asthma, or respiratory tract infections such as the common cold.

• In men, smoking can cause impotence because it limits the blood supply to the penis. It can also reduce the fertility of both men and women.

For help on how to stop smoking visit http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/smoking/Pages/stopsmokingnewhome.aspx