Smoking in Newport is down since 2022, vapes and pouches

In a bid to be 'smoke-free by 2030', Wales introduced smoking bans in outdoor areas in 2021, including hospital grounds and play grounds while the Welsh Government published a long term plan for the control of tobacco in July 2022.

Based on the 591 respondents to the Office for National Statistics' (ONS) annual population survey in Newport, an estimated 13.7 per cent of adults in the area were smokers in 2023, which is down from 15.1 per cent in 2022 and the lowest since local records began in 2012**.

Alfan Sabir, owner of a convenience store in Baneswell, said he has noticed a significant change in tobacco and vape sales.

Mr. Sabir,  45, said: "Since the gov took 10 cigarette packs out and small packs of tobacco, I have seen tobacco sales drop.

"When they do the budget, 30g and 50g tobacco pouches go up in price by almost double.

"Vapes have now taken over and now it's about new nicotine pouches."

When asked whether Mr. Sabir thinks nicotine patches are becoming more common due to the various flavours  offered similar to vape flavours, he said that and the price are big factors for consumers.

"For 20 nicotine pouches, prices range from £6.50 to £8.99."

A 20-pack of cigarettes ranges from £11.35 to £17.06. 

Nicotine pouches (Image: Canva) Mr. Sabir said vape retailers such as Nordic Spirit and Zyn have started producing nicotine pouches.

31-year-old Jake Thomas from Newport said he uses vapes and nicotine pouches to curb his craving for cigarettes.

Mr. Thomas, said: "I've been trying to quit for years, first I went onto vapes, then nicotine pouches, but it's hard to get off those now.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Vapes can be an effective way for adult smokers to quit, but we have always been clear children and adult non-smokers should not vape."

They added: "Meanwhile, smoking claims 80,000 lives a year, puts huge pressure on our NHS, and costs taxpayers billions.

"The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will protect future generations from the harms of tobacco and nicotine, saving thousands of lives and easing pressures on the NHS."

Public health charity, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), urged the government to bring forward its bill to end the sale of tobacco and to create a generation "free from the harms of smoking".

Smoking reaches record low in Newport, according to new figures (Image: Canva) ASH chief executive, Hazel Cheeseman, said the figures are proof the country is "ready to be smoke-free".

However she said more needs to be done despite the progress.

Ms. Cheeseman added: "Our poorest communities continue to pay the price for tobacco company profits, as do our public services and economy.

"Alongside creating a smoke-free generation, the Government must maintain the commitment of the last Government to invest in support to help the 6 million people currently smoking to quit."

In 2023, the highest percentage of smokers in Gwent happened to reside in Torfaen (16.3 per cent), Blaenau Gwent (15.8 per cent), and Newport (13.7 per cent).

While figures show a significant decrease since 2022, these areas are considered to be of lower income and higher economic inactivity than their other Gwent counterparts, including Monmouthshire (7.1 per cent) and Caerphilly (13.6 per cent).

It's too early to tell whether the government-backed initiative and subsequent ban on smoking in public areas has had a knock-on effect on the number of people who consider themselves smokers, or if this is a by-product of the rise in price of products containing tobacco.

** It is worth noting that the number of respondents to the survey have dropped by more than a half. In 2012, there were 1,228 respondents to the survey, while in 2023, only 591 people answered the question to the survey.