SHOCKING statistics have revealed that smoking is costing the town tens of millions of pounds every year.

The figures from the Royal College of Physicians’ charity, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), show that an estimated smoking population of almost 20,000 people is hitting Slough dearly.

In the town, it is estimated that smoking costs people in the region of £34.8million per year, which breaks down to an eyewatering £1,753 per smoker.

The annual cost to the NHS in the borough as a direct result of treating smoking-related illnesses and treating the effects of passive smoking is also staggeringly high, totalling approximately £4.1million per year.

The local economy also feels the effects of smokers’ habits. The data shows that every year, deaths in Slough as a result of smoking result in 425 years worth of lost productivity, which is the equivalent of £10.1million pounds for Slough’s economy.

Councillor Sabia Hussain, commissioner for health and social care, said: “We have had a stop smoking programme for many years.“One in five people in Slough smoke and 383 people die per year in the town as a result of smoking. That’s one of the reasons why we have a high index, it is also a cultural thing.”

Going into greater detail, The figures even reflect the cost of cigarette breaks in the workplace and smoke related sick days.

ASH’s figures show that these breaks cost Slough businesses an estimated £14.2million annually, and sick days due to smoking an estimated £2.9million.

The numbers take in to account the cost of accidental fires caused by cigarette butts, with figures showing that this is costing Slough Borough Council about £588,500 every year.

The environmental impact of smokers is also being felt in the town. It is estimated that 81 million filtered cigarettes are smoked each year, and despite their small size this is generating 14 tonnes of waste, including three tonnes discarded as street litter.

Cllr Hussain added: “We have managed to reduce our numbers but we could do better, we must do better.”

ASH calculated these numbers using figures from the Integrated Household Survey 2014.