More than 1,600 people in England die each week because of smoking, with the greatest number of deaths occurring in the most deprived areas, a study says.
Some 86,500 people died in England on average each year from 1998 to 2002, the Health Development Agency said.
About 62% of the deaths were men and 38% were women.
The area with the highest proportion of smoking-related deaths was north Liverpool, where 43% of deaths in people over 35 were due to smoking.
This was followed by Knowsley, also on Merseyside, and Tower Hamlets in east London with 42%.
Deborah Arnott, director of campaign charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: "The study clearly shows that the highest rates of smoking deaths and smoking is in the most deprived areas. "If the government is serious about tackling health inequalities it should introduce a smoking ban in public places and work places."
Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer, said the country was in the "grip of a smoking epidemic".
"Smoking isn't just a national problem, these figures show clearly how our local communities are affected.
"I believe this will be a useful document for everyone working to tackle the prevalence of smoking in this country."
And Dame Yve Buckland, chair of the Health Development Agency, added: "Smoking is an important cause of health inequalities - the poorer you are, the more likely you are to smoke, you're less likely to quit and you're more likely to die from smoking related causes." |
Full story on the BBC