Smoking 'costs the UK NHS billions'

"Treating smokers costs the NHS in England GBP2.7bn a year, compared with GBP1.7bn a decade ago, a report claims. Anti-smoking group Ash says the cost would have risen to over £3bn had action to curb smoking not seen numbers fall from 12 million to nine million. The report's proposals to cut smoking include mandatory plain packaging. The government is consulting on next steps in tobacco control and regulation" - BBC