Number of UK adults who vape reaches record level, report finds

The proportion of adults who vape in the UK is at its highest level, with the number who both smoke and vape doubling over the past three years, according to analysis.

The number of smokers who use both cigarettes and vapes has increased from 17% in 2021 to 32% in 2024 – the equivalent of 2.2 million people.

The analysis, which was conducted by Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) and was based on data collected by YouGov, found 5.6 million adults in Britain vape, about 11% of the adult population.

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According to the research, more than half (53%) of those who vape are former smokers, which is the equivalent of 3 million people.

Among all former smokers – including those who still vape or no longer vape – the median length of time spent using e-cigarettes is two years.

However, in the last three years, Ash found more than half of vapers who were former smokers had been vaping for more than three years. This compared with 18% in 2017 when the question was first asked as part of the analysis.

Labour said it would revive the former Tory government’s tobacco and vapes bill, which would ban anyone born after January 2009 from buying cigarettes, with the aim to eventually phase out cigarette smoking. It could also lead to restrictions on the flavours, packaging and display of vapes.

Hazel Cheeseman, the deputy chief executive of Ash, said: “Smoking is still the country’s biggest preventable killer and vaping is one of many tools needed to help smokers quit if we are to create a smoke-free country for current as well as future generations.

“Millions of people have used vapes to successfully stop smoking in recent years, increasing healthy life expectancy and improving the nation’s productivity. Tougher vape regulations are urgently needed, but it is important they are calibrated to address youth vaping while not deterring use of vapes as quitting aids.”

Henry Gregg, the director of external affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “Quitting smoking can be incredibly difficult, so it’s great to see that many smokers find vapes a really effective stop smoking aid.

“But to help as many smokers as possible to quit, it’s vital the government increases investment in local stop smoking services. These have suffered drastic cuts in recent years but do a fantastic job of supporting people to stop smoking for good and deal with smoking’s deadly legacy.”

Leonie Brose, a professor of addictions public health at King’s College London, said: “More than half of people who smoke long term will die prematurely due to smoking.

“Alarmingly, half of those who smoke think vaping is just as harmful or more harmful and almost as many are unaware that nicotine-containing medication is less harmful than smoking. These misperceptions are costing lives and we need continued focus on reducing the harms from smoking.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “While vaping can be an effective tool to stop smoking, the health advice is clear: children and adults that do not smoke should never vape.

“The upcoming tobacco and vapes bill will protect future generations from the harms of tobacco and nicotine, saving thousands of lives and easing pressures on the NHS. By building a healthier society, we will help to build a healthy economy.”