Smoking is putting more people than ever in hospital in Birmingham - with an average of one admission every hour.

The latest figures from Public Health England have revealed that people were admitted to hospital in our city for smoking-related diseases on 9,107 occasions in 2016-17.

That’s up from 8,844 similar cases seen the year before - and is the highest number on record.

In total it cost the NHS more than £15m to treat people in Birmingham for these diseases in hospital last year.

That works out as £14 for every man, woman and child living in our city.

The figures also show that Birmingham has a slightly higher rate of people going to hospital because of smoking than the nation as a whole.

On average, there is one smoking-related hospital stay each year for every 58 people aged over 35 in our city.

That compares with one for every 60 people across England as a whole.

Nationally, cigarettes put people in hospital on 513,940 occasions over the course of the year - down from 518,239 in 2015-16.

Within the West Midlands, Walsall has the highest rate of people ending up in hospital because of their smoking.

There, people were admitted to hospital because of smoking 3,066 times in 2016-17 - eight people a day, and one instance for every 49 residents.

The high rate of hospital admissions seen in the area is likely due to the high prevalence of smokers in Walsall - 21% of people over the age of 15 currently smoke there, which is one of the highest rates in the country.

In Birmingham, that figure is 18% of people aged 16 and up, the same as the national average.

Smoking is the biggest single cause of preventable death and ill-health within England.

Across the country 244,470 people died from smoking between 2014 and 2016, while in the West Midlands, 12,273 people smoked themselves to death over the course of the three years.

'NHS is not doing enough'

Hazel Cheeseman, director of policy at Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said: “These figures demonstrate that the NHS is not doing enough to support smokers to quit.

“A recent audit found that three out of four hospital patients who smoke are not offered help to stop.

“If they were, hospitals would not only see fewer smoking related deaths and admissions but also an improvement in the effectiveness of many treatments including chemotherapy and surgery.”

The PHA offers these helpful tips to keep you on track:

  • Set a specific date on which you want to stop smoking and stick to it. Let people know so they can support you in your quit attempt. Try to encourage a group of your friends or family to stop with you and support one another.
  • To get started, it is really useful to have a careful look at what you do at the moment. Review your smoking habit and change your routine to avoid situations when you usually smoke, eg if you smoke having a cup of coffee, try tea instead. If you smoke first thing in the morning, take a shower instead or if you smoke when you are on the phone hold a pencil and doodle. If you smoke on your way to work, take a slightly different route to help change your routine.
  • In the first few days after quitting, drink lots of water and fluids to help flush out the nicotine and other poisons from your body. Try to avoid alcohol and coffee, as these tend to increase the desire for a cigarette.
  • Don't fall into the trap of having ‘just one’ cigarette. Be on your guard against temptation – one cigarette can easily lead to another.
  • Instead of smoking, use the ‘tangle’ found in the PHA’s free stop smoking resource ‘Quit Kit’ as an alternative for something to do with your hands. You can order your kit free of charge by logging on to . Alternatively, occupy your hands with a stress or tennis ball.
  • When you feel like smoking a cigarette, try texting or ringing a friend – it will help the craving to pass and take your mind off it.
  • Avoid eating high-energy, high-sugar snack foods in place of cigarettes; try fresh fruit, a low-fat yogurt or sugar-free gum instead.
  • Avoid skipping meals or eating sweets as both cause a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar levels which make cravings worse.
  • Keep active. Walk more; go for a swim or a cycle; dance to music at home; do some vacuuming; gardening; or, wash the car. Any physical activity produces chemicals in the body which make people feel better. Physical activity has been shown to help quit attempts and will help to reduce weight gain.
  • Put the money you are saving on cigarettes away so that you can buy something you really want. It can help motivate you when things are tough.Quitting a 20-a-day habit will deliver an average £3,420 a year saving.

What happens to the body

The human body is an amazing thing. Just 20 minutes after that last cigarette, it begins to recover.

Nicotine, the addictive chemical in smoking, acts as a stimulant and gives that all-important ‘kick’.

Not long after the last puff of smoke, heart rate and blood pressure return to normal following this high.

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Eight hours

This is the testing time when most smokers reach for another cigarette.

The effects of withdrawal are strong as nicotine leaves the bloodstream and cravings start to happen.

One day

Anxiety and ‘stress’ levels peak. The feeling of stress associated with quitting smoking isn’t usually stress – it’s a sign of withdrawal.

That’s why it’s untrue that smoking de-stresses, it’s just feeding a craving.

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In fact, research shows non- and ex-smokers feel less stressed than smokers.

Two to three days

If you decide to go ‘cold turkey’ there’s no nicotine left in the body but it’ll take a while to adjust to this new feeling. Using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) such as gum, patches or e-cigarettes supplies the body with nicotine and allows smokers to wean themselves off smoking gently, making it easier to quit cigarettes.

Taste and smell receptors are given the chance to heal, meaning food will never have tasted so good!

One week

Making it one week smoke-free means quitters are over the worst of it.

It’s perfectly normal to think about smoking regularly – it’s now a case of mind over matter as the body no longer physically craves tobacco.

Many quitters experience a nasty cough, but this is perfectly normal – it’s the lungs’ way of clearing themselves as much as they can.

Two weeks

Blood circulation, especially to the gums and teeth, returns to normal levels, the same as a non-smoker.

Now that the mouth isn’t being bombarded with smoke, tissue damaged by gum disease can recover.

One month

Withdrawals can range from anger, anxiety, insomnia and mild depression, but by month one these feelings should have subsided. If not, a trip to the GP is recommended. Quitters who make it to four weeks smoke-free are five times more likely to stay smoke-free for good.

Two months

The risk of heart attack risk has started to drop. With lung function improving too, climbing the stairs gets that little bit easier each day.

Three months

Walking long distances is a lot easier now. Any bad coughs should have disappeared, but if not, being seen by a doctor is imperative as it can be a sign of something more sinister.

Six months

Any tiredness and shortness of breath will be a thing of the past.

Cilia, air sacs in the lungs, have re-grown and healed some of the damage caused by smoking, but the lungs will never be 100% healthy.

One year

Ex-smokers are 50% less likely to have a heart attack, heart disease or a stroke within just one year of quitting.

Five years

Diabetes is an illness long-term smokers can develop. Make it five years smoke-free and the risks of it occurring are the same a non-smoker.

Five to 10 years

Amazing! The risk of having a stroke is now the same as that of a non-smoker. Smoke makes blood sticky and hard to move around the body and that’s why smokers are much more likely to have a stroke.

10 years

Lung cancer is the biggest risk to a smoker’s life. Within 10 years of quitting, the chance of death from lung cancer is half that of a smoker. The risk from other cancers such as mouth and pancreatic have reduced significantly.

Post-10 years

When smoking, the heart works harder to pump smoke-ridden blood and this leads to increased risk of heart attacks and disease. After 10 years smoke-free, the risk of heart disease is the same as a non-smoker.