Pricing people out of the habit is working, with Public Health saying it is committed to further price increases to help more people stop smoking.
Newly released data shows that in 2023, just over 9% of the population were smokers.
That was based on a survey with more than 2000 responses carried out by Public Health.
This is the first time the smoking prevalence in Guernsey and Alderney has dropped below 10% and if it continues dropping and halves again the Bailiwick will be declared ‘smoke-free’.
The survey carried out by Public Health found that the number of people who say they smoke has fallen by 4% since 2018. It also said that there’s been a “significant reduction” in the number of smokers in the Bailiwick since 1988.
Back then it was thought that around 30% of the population smoked.
The number of people smoking has been in decline since the 1980s but it has plateaued often – most notably during the 1990s and in the last decade.
Efforts to continue cutting the number of smokers has been backed by constant price rises with additional duties levied on tobacco products every year.
“Increases in the price of tobacco products have helped to reduce the smoking prevalence in Guernsey and Alderney from over 30% in 1988 to 13% in 2018,” said Public Health.
“A year-on-year increase in the tax (RPI plus 5%) applied to tobacco is now embedded in Government policy and should be continued.”
Efforts to cut the number of people who smoke have also been supported by Bailiwick-wide policies such as giving all hospital patients who smoke an ‘opt-out referral’ to Quitline.
Quitline staff run the island’s core ‘smoking cessation service’ with dedicated services for pregnant women and people in prison, where smoking and vaping is banned.
Smokers who want help quitting have access to the prescription-only medications Bupropion and Varenicline which were added back into local service last year and this year respectively.
The number of pregnant women recorded as smoking increased in 2023, despite an overall reduction in smoker numbers.
Public Health urged caution with these figures though as the small number of pregnancies recorded in Guernsey each year mean the number of smoking mothers does fluctuate.
For example, in 2023, 13 pregnant women were recorded as smoking at their first check up with fewer than five quitting by the time they gave birth.
“The Quitline maternity service receives referrals from midwives for any pregnant women identified as smoking at booking or at subsequent antenatal appointments on a service user opt-out basis,” said Public Health.
“Self-referrals and referrals from other health professionals are also encouraged. Following an initial appointment, follow up appointments are offered weekly for at least twelve weeks, although ongoing support throughout pregnancy can be provided along with follow up post-delivery.”