The first Smokefree Devon Alliance Strategy was published in 2009. The updated strategy, published in 2013, is available here.
Our vision is that by the end of 2015 smoking prevalence for the adult population of Devon will be 15%. This means achieving a fall in smoking prevalence of 1% per year, from the current 18.1%.
Smoking is the biggest single preventable cause of disease and premature death in Devon. It is estimated that 1,225 people die from smoking related illness every year in the Devon County Council area. Tobacco is linked to more than 200 diseases and is the primary cause of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Moreover, it is the primary reason for the gap in healthy life expectancy between rich and poor as identified by Marmot in his review of health inequalities.
In Devon it is estimated that smoking related health costs to the NHS alone are approximately £37.5m annually. There are over 5,700 admissions to NHS Devon hospitals each year which are due to smoking. This is estimated to cost the NHS around £15.9 million each year, or £33.40 for every person in Devon aged over 35.
Each year, smokers in Devon spend an estimated £205.6m on tobacco related products. The cost of smoking to society in Devon (including smoking related lost productivity, absenteeism, litter cleaning, fires etc.) and the NHS, is estimated to be £191.3m.