THURROCK Council has taken to the front foot in its bid to cut down on the number of residents who smoke.

The authority says every pound spent on tobacco goes up in smoke, according to new analysis released, showing smoking costs Thurrock an estimated £158 million every year.

Published on World No Tobacco Day, the figures highlight the significant impact smoking has on residents' health, local services and the wider economy.

The figures, published by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), a public health charity set up by the Royal College of Physicians to end the harm caused by tobacco, estimate the annual cost of smoking in Thurrock across lost productivity, healthcare, social care and fire-related incidents.

The breakdown for Thurrock includes:

• £112 million in lost productivity
• £38.2 million in social care costs
• £6.22 million in healthcare costs
• £1.46 million in smoking-related fire costs

Around 14.3% of adults in Thurrock smoke, equivalent to approximately 19,300 residents.

Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable illness and premature death, placing avoidable pressure on health and care services while contributing to poorer health outcomes and health inequalities across the borough.

The campaign highlights how the costs of smoking affect both individuals and society, while also encouraging residents to consider the benefits of quitting. Stopping smoking can improve health, save money and reduce the risk of serious illness.

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Thurrock Council is encouraging residents who want to quit smoking to sign up to Thurrock Council's Healthy Lifestyle Stop Smoking Service, which offers free personalised support, tailored quit plans and practical advice to help people quit successfully.

Residents using specialist stop smoking support are significantly more likely to quit successfully than those trying to stop alone.

Residents can find out more and sign up for free.

A council statement adds: "Thurrock Council continues to work with local health partners to reduce smoking prevalence, prevent smoking-related harm and tackle health inequalities across the borough."