Smoking Rate by Age Group
Percentage of respondents who smoke · by decade of ageSmoking prevalence peaks sharply in the 20s at 42.7%—nearly double the overall survey average of 25%. It falls steadily with age, dropping to just 3.6% among respondents in their 80s.
This curve reflects two overlapping dynamics: younger cohorts face greater social exposure to smoking, while older survivors who smoked have disproportionately died or quit due to health consequences.
Smoking Rate by Education Level
Percentage who smoke · ordered from lowest to highest qualificationThe relationship between education and smoking is clear but not perfectly linear. Degree holders smoke least at 14.9%, while those with intermediate qualifications (GCSE/CSE, GCSE/O Level) smoke most—at 37.3% and 34.1% respectively.
Interestingly, those with no qualification at all smoke at 23.4%—below mid-tier qualification groups. This likely reflects the older age distribution of unqualified respondents, who also appear less in the peak-smoking 20s bracket.
Average Cigarettes: Weekend vs. Weekday
Among active smokers · by cigarette type · average per dayAcross all cigarette types, smokers consistently consume more on weekends than on weekdays. The gap is most pronounced among packet smokers (15.8 vs. 13.0—a 22% increase).
Hand-rolled smokers and those who mix types smoke the most overall, with mixed hand-rolled smokers averaging nearly 20 cigarettes per weekend day. This may reflect that rolling requires more deliberate effort and correlates with heavier, more habitual use.
Original Data Sample
First 20 rows of the UK smoking survey (1,691 total). Source: Kaggle / UK Smoking Data.
| # | Gender | Age | Marital | Qualification | Income | Region | Smoke? | Wknd | Wkday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Male | 38 | Divorced | No Qualification | 2,600–5,200 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 2 | Female | 42 | Single | No Qualification | Under 2,600 | The North | Yes | 12 | 12 | Packets |
| 3 | Male | 40 | Married | Degree | 28,600–36,400 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 4 | Female | 40 | Married | Degree | 10,400–15,600 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 5 | Female | 39 | Married | GCSE/O Level | 2,600–5,200 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 6 | Female | 37 | Married | GCSE/O Level | 15,600–20,800 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 7 | Male | 53 | Married | Degree | Above 36,400 | The North | Yes | 6 | 6 | Packets |
| 8 | Male | 44 | Single | Degree | 10,400–15,600 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 9 | Male | 40 | Single | GCSE/CSE | 2,600–5,200 | The North | Yes | 8 | 8 | Hand-Rolled |
| 10 | Female | 41 | Married | No Qualification | 5,200–10,400 | The North | Yes | 15 | 12 | Packets |
| 11 | Male | 72 | Widowed | No Qualification | 10,400–15,600 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 12 | Male | 29 | Married | Degree | Above 36,400 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 13 | Female | 79 | Widowed | No Qualification | 10,400–15,600 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 14 | Male | 25 | Single | Degree | 15,600–20,800 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 15 | Female | 27 | Single | Degree | 15,600–20,800 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 16 | Female | 30 | Single | Degree | 20,800–28,600 | The North | No | — | — | — |
| 17 | Female | 31 | Married | GCSE/CSE | Under 2,600 | The North | Yes | 15 | 15 | Both/Mainly Packets |
| 18 | Female | 36 | Married | GCSE/O Level | 5,200–10,400 | The North | Yes | 5 | 2 | Packets |
| 19 | Female | 56 | Married | No Qualification | 2,600–5,200 | The North | Yes | 20 | 20 | Packets |
| 20 | Male | 55 | Married | No Qualification | 20,800–28,600 | The North | No | — | — | — |