Sample characteristics
| Whole sample | Never smokers | Ex-smokers | Current smokers | P value* | |
| N | 53 002 | 31 344 | 13 602 | 8057 | – |
| Age in years, % (n) | |||||
| 18–29 | 19.5 (10 333) | 23.3 (7298) | 8.7 (1177) | 23.1 (1858) | <0.001 |
| 30–39 | 15.0 (7942) | 14.8 (4634) | 13.3 (1806) | 18.6 (1502) | – |
| 40–49 | 17.7 (9372) | 15.7 (4934) | 19.5 (2647) | 22.2 (1791) | – |
| 50–59 | 17.5 (9297) | 16.7 (5228) | 18.5 (2520) | 19.2 (1549) | – |
| 60–69 | 19.1 (10 100) | 18.4 (5764) | 24.5 (3326) | 12.5 (1010) | – |
| ≥70 | 11.2 (5959) | 11.1 (3486) | 15.6 (2126) | 4.3 (347) | – |
| Female sex, % (n) | 50.6 (26 825) | 52.4 (16 432) | 45.9 (6245) | 51.5 (4148) | <0.001 |
| White ethnicity, % (n) | 87.2 (46 219) | 85.5 (26 789) | 91.0 (12 378) | 87.5 (7052) | <0.001 |
| No post-16 qualifications, % (n) | 32.7 (17 324) | 26.4 (8286) | 38.3 (5205) | 47.6 (3833) | <0.001 |
| Key worker, % (n) | 22.6 (11 956) | 22.6 (7080) | 20.9 (2840) | 25.3 (2036) | <0.001 |
| ≥1 Health condition†, % (n) | 32.2 (17 093) | 28.8 (9029) | 40.9 (5557) | 31.1 (2507) | <0.001 |
| Diagnosed anxiety disorder, % (n) | 13.0 (6872) | 11.1 (3474) | 12.7 (1726) | 20.8 (1672) | <0.001 |
| Heavy smokers (≥10 CPD), % (n) | – | – | – | 50.3 (4056) | – |
All data are weighted to match the UK adult population on sex, age, ethnicity, education and country of living.
*P value for the association between each variable and smoking status.
†High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease (eg, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or cancer.
CPD, cigarettes per day.