Tobacco control, inequalities in health and action at the local level in England

Smoking is the single most important cause of premature death and inequalities in health in the UK. Considerable progress has been made in reducing cigarette smoking among adults in Britain. However, there has been less success in reducing socio-economic inequalities in smoking. British data show that smoking rates remain much higher in the lower socio-economic groups and that this is exacerbated by other dimensions of disadvantage including unemployment. Smokers from lower socio-economic groups also have higher levels of cigarette consumption and are less likely to be successful when trying to quit.