The bar chart presents data on the number of male and female cigarette smokers in the UK from 2011 to 2021, measured in millions.
Overall, there was a significant decline in the number of smokers for both genders over the decade. Men consistently had higher smoking rates than women, but both groups followed a similar downward trend.
In 2011, approximately 4.1 million men and 3.7 million women smoked cigarettes—the highest figures recorded during the given period. The number of male smokers dropped sharply to around 2.8 million in 2012 and continued to fluctuate slightly in subsequent years, remaining between 2.5 and 3 million until 2019. In 2020, the figure decreased to just above 2 million, before experiencing a dramatic drop to about 1.2 million in 2021.
Similarly, female smokers saw a steep decline in 2012, falling to roughly 2 million. The number continued to gradually decrease, fluctuating between 1.3 and 1.7 million from 2013 to 2020. By 2021, the figure dropped further to approximately 1 million, representing the lowest point for women during the period.
In summary, both male and female smoking rates in the UK fell steadily, with the most notable reductions occurring in the final year.