Poorer communities see twice as many smoking related cancers as richer areas, says study

A new study has revealed poorer communities are facing higher rates of smoking-related cancer than richer areas. Cancer Research UK now want tobacco companies to help fund more stop smoking campaigns to help poorer areas go smoke free. 

According to new figures from Cancer Research UK, there are nearly twice as many cancers caused by smoking among the poorest people in England compared to the richest. In a new study looking at quantifying  the effect of avoidable cancers linked to smoking, researchers have said there were 11, 000 cases of smoking related cancers in groups that had the lowest income, compared to 6,000 in groups with the highest income.

“Smoking has accounted for more deaths than Covid-19 in the past year. Public health and prevention services play a vital role in tackling health inequalities as well as improving health and wellbeing across England. This has come into even sharper focus since the pandemic, which has exposed where investment in these services has fallen behind." Says Public health expert, Professor Linda Bauld. 

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Source: The Independent, 3 August 2021