SMOKING rates in Yorkshire remain the highest in the country, according to new data shared by Yorkshire Cancer Research.

The statistics, published last week by Public Health England, reveal a smoking rate of 16.2 per cent in the region, significantly higher than the England average of 14.4 per cent.

The figures mean there are an estimated 700,000 smokers living in Yorkshire.

The data shows that smoking rates are continuing to slowly decrease over time. In 2011, 21.8 per cent of people in Yorkshire smoked.

However, rates in both Yorkshire and England have not yet reached the government’s 2020 target of 13 per cent. More than 137,000 people would need to quit smoking in Yorkshire if the region were to achieve this goal.

Dr Stuart Griffiths, Director of Research and Services at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said: “While it’s encouraging that rates are gradually declining, the statistics clearly show that smoking remains a huge issue in Yorkshire.

“Smoking causes at least 15 different types of cancer, including seven in 10 lung cancers. This means around 4,500 people are diagnosed with a smoking-related cancer here every year.”