Joint commitment to making smoking invisible in Barnsley sees borough’s smoking prevalence rates hit record low levels

The number of people smoking in Barnsley has fallen significantly over the last twelve months, helping us achieve our lowest levels of smoking prevalence since current records began. 

Latest NHS England data shows that our rates have dropped from 14.1% last year to 12.5% this year, seeing us now ranked second lowest in South Yorkshire. 

Marking another consecutive year where rates have fallen, this year’s data represents another step towards our goal of reducing smoking prevalence in Barnsley to under 5% by 2030. 

This also builds on the record low levels of women smoking during their pregnancy we recorded earlier this year in Barnsley. This fantastic achievement would not be possible without the fantastic health partnerships at the heart of the Barnsley Tobacco Control Alliance. 

Bringing together organisations like Barnsley Council, Barnsley Hospital and NHS Yorkshire Smokefree Barnsley, this group is committed to changing attitudes towards smoking and making sure residents get the right support to quit. 

They all play a key role in delivering our Make Smoking Invisible campaign, supporting our Healthy Barnsley ambitions by inspiring a smoke-free generation and de-normalising smoking and vaping across our borough. You can read more about this project on our website. 

Following overwhelmingly positive feedback in July, our Public Health team once again partnered with Performance in Education, an award-winning theatre company, to give more ‘Hooked’ performances to secondary school students last month. These live, interactive performances explore the dangers of smoking and vaping, and the impact of peer pressure. 

Student feedback was highly encouraging. Many said they now better understand the harmful effects of smoking and vaping, and several shared that they felt inspired never to start. You can read more about ‘Hooked’ in our previous press release. 

We’ve also relaunched our smoke-free schools initiative with primary schools across Barnsley as part of our Make Smoking Invisible campaign. 

Refreshed educational resources will help children and young people learn more about the dangers associated with smoking and vaping, and updated signage will reinforce the message for parents, carers and staff to not smoke or vape on the grounds.  

Councillor Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities and Chair of the Barnsley Tobacco Control Alliance, said: “Reducing smoking rates to below 5% by 2030 is an ambitious target, but it’s one we’re determined to achieve. Make Smoking Invisible is more than a campaign - it’s a movement towards a healthier Barnsley. Every smoke-free space, every initiative changing attitudes towards smoking and vaping, and every person who quits smoking brings us closer to that goal. 

“We’re committed to making smoking a thing of the past, so it’s great to see that 87.5% of people in Barnsley now don’t smoke. Our work won’t stop here, building on our successes to continue bringing our rates down and make sure people can get the right support to quit.”

Our Make Smoking Invisible campaign also includes a growing number of voluntary smoke and vape-free areas across the borough, such as the Armed Forces Walkway, play parks, high streets and Pals Square outside the Town Hall. 

We’ve recently partnered with South Yorkshire Police to make the area around their town centre police headquarters smoke and vape-free. 

This initiative is now expanding to all Barnsley police stations, with a request for both staff and the public to refrain from smoking or vaping on or near the premises. 

During October, Barnsley College also installed new signage to reinforce this commitment to making their sites smoke and vape-free. These voluntary zones are creating a supportive, healthy environment for their students, staff and visitors. 

David Akeroyd, Principal and CEO at Barnsley College, said: “The clear signage at Barnsley College stating that we are a no smoking or vaping site sends a strong message, encouraging a healthier and more respectful environment for all. It sets a positive example and supports our learners in making better decisions for their wellbeing and future.”

Supporting people to quit smoking and stay smoke-free, both for the health and financial benefits, is a key part of our commitment to making smoking invisible. 

Anyone living or working in Barnsley can access, free confidential support from NHS Yorkshire Smokefree Barnsley’s trained advisors. They offer a wide range of support to help you on your quitting journey, so if you’ve been thinking about quitting, find out they can help you by visiting their website or by calling 0800 612 0011 from a landline or 0330 660 1166 from a mobile.