Puffed up
Just 12.9% of Britons smoke cigarettes, figures out this week showed – the lowest on record. How does the UK compare?
– The highest smoking rate is in Nauru (48.5%), the lowest is in Ghana (3.5%).
– 24.5% of people in France are daily smokers compared with 11.5% in the US.
– In Germany, the overall smoking rate is 34%, an increase from 26.5% in March 2020. For young Germans aged between 14 and 17, this has almost doubled between 2021 and last year, from 8.7% to 15.9%.
– Maybe it’s the price of a pack. The average cost of 20 cigarettes in the UK hit £14.47 after the Budget in March. In France it’s £8.70, in Germany it’s even lower, at £5.68.
Winning touch
The Rugby World Cup is starting. Who do the bookies think will win?
New Zealand 27%
France/South Africa 23%
Ireland 18%
Australia 8%
England 7%
Argentina 4%
Scotland/Wales 3%
Source: Oddschecker
Royal standard
A memorial for Elizabeth II will be announced in 2026 on what would have been her 100th birthday year.
Get Britain's best politics newsletters
Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in