Recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows a decline in smoking rates across the UK, with only 11.9% of adults smoking in 2023, the lowest since records began in 2011, although Belfast remains among the highest with 18.4% of its adult population smoking. In Northern Ireland, smoking rates are notably high, particularly in areas like Causeway Coast and Glens and Derry City and Strabane, prompting calls for stricter regulations. Meanwhile, vaping is on the rise, with over five million users in Great Britain, leading health experts in Lancashire to offer support for quitting both smoking and vaping. North Lanarkshire has the highest smoking rate in Scotland at 20.8%, reflecting a correlation between smoking prevalence and socioeconomic status. The Labour government is considering an outdoor smoking ban in response to the 80,000 smoking-related deaths annually in the UK. Despite the overall decline, certain demographics, including unemployed individuals and those with no qualifications, continue to report higher smoking rates.