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Key Statistics
5. There are around 1.1m smokers in the West Midlands region who spend
an estimated total of £1.3bn on tobacco products every year.
Among the smoking population, prevalence rates and/or the total number
of smokers
are particularly high for certain groups:
In terms of gender, men are more likely to smoke (and more
likely to quit) than women.
People aged 20-34 years have the highest smoking rates of all age groups.
Young women aged 16-19 and men aged 20-34 have the highest rates of smoking
among all age and gender groups.
The highest absolute number of smokers in the West Midlands is in the
35-49 year age bracket for both men and women. Smokers are more likely
to start quitting in this age group.
Those in routine and manual occupations have the highest rates of smoking
among the working population.
Those who are economically inactive have higher smoking rates in every
socio-economic class compared with their economically active counterparts.
Households in the West Midlands who fall within the lowest income decile
(income lower than £114 per week) spend the highest proportion
of their disposable income on tobacco.
20% of boys and 26% of girls aged 15 are regular smokers. Prevalence
rates increase sharply from children aged 13 (6%) to those aged 14 (16%).
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