Kent’s smokers are costing the county £1.3 billion a year, new figures have revealed.

The shocking statistic covers lost productivity, care costs and fires caused by people puffing on tobacco products.

It comes in a report to go before the Kent County Council (KCC) Health Reform and Public Health cabinet committee next week (May 14).

The paper states that £770 million is lost in productivity; social care costs of £427m; health care costing £52m and the price of smoking-related fires is £8m.

The costings were provided by the anti-smoking lobby group, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

KCC received an extra £1.9m in funding in April as part of a government drive, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to get Britons to give up the habit.

But the pressure to stop smoking goes against Conservative principles, according to one KCC member, who wondered if it would lead to other bans, such as on alcohol.

The KCC papers state: “The additional funding is a great opportunity for KCC to increase and enhance the stop smoking service offer for Kent residents and therefore improve outcomes (measured through four-week quits).

“The funding will be used to build demand and capacity in stop smoking services and increase targeting.”

The additional cash will continue over the next five financial years, starting from 2024-25 until 2028-29.

The government launched its “Stopping the start: our new plan to create a smoke free generation” campaign last October, with £70m in funds to local authorities to help residents quit.

Helping people to kick the habit is also part of KCC’s Securing Kent’s Future which has focused, in part, on healthier lifestyles.

“I don't smoke and I don’t like smoking but I wouldn’t stop someone playing rugby because they might break their leg…”

When the government introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said: “Smoking is the number one preventable cause of disability, ill health and death in this country.

“Once it becomes a habit, its addictive nature means that it is extremely difficult to stop.

“Because the case against these harmful products is so strong, it’s not surprising that the majority of the British public - including those who smoke and those who sell tobacco - support plans to protect the next generation from the misery of smoking.

“Our plan will save lives, ease the strain on our NHS and ensure a brighter future for our children.”

The government aims to make it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009.

Although smoking itself will not be criminalised, the law - which was passed in parliament - would bring the UK closer to creating a smoke-free generation.

The government said smoking is responsible for 80,000 deaths a year and is a huge drain on public health services such as the NHS.

KCC committee member Cllr Lottie Parfitt-Reid said: “As a Conservative, I totally disagree with the ban of selling tobacco from a certain age. Where does it all end?

“Will we not be able to have a gin and tonic or a glass of wine in the pub?

“I don't smoke and I don’t like smoking but I wouldn’t stop someone playing rugby because they might break their leg. Life is full of risks and it is a matter of personal responsibility.

“Of course the consequences of smoking costs money but I am not one for banning things.

“But I say that guardedly as I was against the ban on smoking in pubs but loved it once they did ban it.”

ASH says the cost of smoking to local communities in the UK is around £93bn and smokers spend on average £2,436 a year on tobacco products.

The group says: “People who smoke in England spent £16bn in total on tobacco, lining the pockets of the tobacco manufacturers.”

The number of smokers in Kent represents about 13.1% of the population, slightly ahead of the national average of 12.9%.