This is the best summary I could come up with:

Based on surveys with 101,960 adults representative of the population, researchers estimated 16.2% smoked in June 2017, falling to 15.1% by the start of the pandemic, in March 2020, but just 15% in August 2022, since when the the slower rate of decline has remained consistent.

Lead author Dr Sarah Jackson, of UCL’s Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, told BBC News the results suggested a “step change” in young people smoking, at the start of the pandemic.

The researchers supported a government proposal to raise the smoking age, which would mean a child turning 14 this year could never legally buy cigarettes.

The switch to homeworking during the pandemic may have contributed to loneliness and poor mental health, making people less inclined to quit smoking, the researchers said.

“The ambitious programme recently announced by the government can put us on track,” chief executive Deborah Arnott said, “but no time must be lost in turning words into action.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said it had doubled funding for stop-smoking services, helping 360,000 people quit, and was planning to provide a million free vapes to smokers.

The original article contains 585 words, the summary contains 188 words. Saved 68%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!