National No Smoking Day: Reflecting on progress and the work still to do
3 hours and 31 minutes ago
To mark National No Smoking Day, we reflect on both the remarkable progress made in reducing tobacco-related harm and the challenges that remain, particularly in addressing persistent inequalities in smoking across society.
Recent events and research from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences highlight both the scale of achievement in smoking cessation and the urgency of continued action to ensure future generations are protected from tobacco-related disease.
Learning from the past, shaping the future
In November, the Department welcomed world-renowned epidemiologist Professor Sir Richard Peto, from Oxford Population Health, for a guest lecture titled ‘Tobacco deaths: the past 75 years and the next 75’. Drawing on decades of global evidence, Professor Peto reflected on how research since the mid-20th century has transformed our understanding of tobacco’s harms and contributed to saving millions of lives.
The lecture, delivered in partnership with colleagues from our Oxford Tobacco Addiction Group (OxTAG), underscored one of public health’s greatest successes: the steady decline in smoking prevalence driven by robust epidemiology, effective policy, and sustained research into cessation and harm reduction.
As Professor Peto noted, the next 75 years will depend on how effectively we continue to act on the evidence.
Read the full news story: Guest Lecture Series: Professor Sir Richard Peto - Tobacco deaths: the past 75 years and the next 75 and watch his lecture below.
Smoking and inequality: a stubborn gap
New research, published last month in Nicotine & Tobacco Research by Annika Theodoulou, a DPhil researcher, reminds us that progress has not been evenly shared.
Analysing data from nearly 200,000 adults in England between 2014 and 2023, the research team found that smoking remains consistently higher among people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage.
Across multiple indicators, including income, education, employment status, housing, and occupation, individuals in more disadvantaged circumstances were more likely to smoke, more addicted, and less likely to attempt quitting.
Even when quit attempts were made, structural factors appeared to influence success. For example, renters had lower odds of quitting successfully compared to homeowners, suggesting that housing and wider social conditions play an important role in cessation outcomes.
While overall smoking rates have fallen to 11.9% in England, they remain significantly higher in disadvantaged communities, contributing to ongoing health inequalities.
Read the full news story: Smoking remains stubbornly higher among disadvantaged groups, new research confirms
From evidence to action
Taken together, decades of global progress and new evidence on persistent inequality, highlight a clear message for National No Smoking Day: tobacco control remains both a public health success story and an unfinished agenda.
Research within the Department, including the work of the Oxford Tobacco Addiction Group, continues to evolve to meet this challenge. From systematic reviews shaping treatment and policy, to research addressing unequal smoking rates and supporting harm reduction approaches such as vaping, the focus is increasingly on ensuring interventions reach those most affected by tobacco dependence.
If the past 75 years have shown the power of evidence to save lives, the next 75 must ensure that progress is equitable.
On National No Smoking Day, we’re proud to highlight our contribution, along with colleagues across the University, to advancing research, informing policy, and reducing smoking-related harm for everyone.