New Director of Public Health Annual Report described as a call to action to reduce smoking harms

The latest Director of Public Health Annual Report, published by Derbyshire County Council, focuses on the work being carried out across the county to go further and faster in reducing the harms caused by smoking, to save lives and create a smoke free future for the next generation.

One in seven adults in Derbyshire smokes. Smoking causes over 8,000 hospital admissions and over 1,000 deaths in Derbyshire each year.

Ellie Houlston, Director of Public Health for Derbyshire County Council said: “In my report this year I wanted to highlight that smoking tobacco is still having a significant impact on the lives of those who are addicted, to their families and carers, and to our wider communities.

“It is still the main cause of preventable deaths in Derbyshire, leading to around 1,000 deaths every year, and the cost of smoking to the Derbyshire economy is estimated to be £749 million annually.” 

“The aim of the report is to kickstart a countywide conversation with our health and care partners, communities and residents, about how, together, we can do more to improve lives by supporting people to stop smoking and create a smoke free future for our residents”.

Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor Carol Hart said: “This year’s report clearly outlines that smoking is still a significant threat to people’s health and wellbeing.

“Despite our best efforts over many years, tobacco smoking is still the leading cause of preventable deaths in Derbyshire.

“The report sets out a Derbyshire-wide call to action to help make smoking a thing of the past in our county and to free our communities of the harms it causes.

"The report is available to download from our website and we would encourage people to take a look."

Derbyshire County Council offers free support to help you quit smoking.

Live Life Better Derbyshire provides 12 weeks of free stop smoking support for any Derbyshire residents aged 12 and over.  

Visit www.livelifebetterderbyshire.org.uk, call 0800 0852299 or 01629 538200 or email: asch.llbd.info @ derbyshire.gov.uk 

The Derbyshire County Council’s Director of Public Health Annual Report 2024 can be found at: observatory.derbyshire.gov.uk/dphar