Vapers overtake smokers for first time in Great Britain

According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of people using e-cigarettes or e-cigarettes for the first time in Great Britain over the age of 16 is greater than the number of smokers.

Approximately 5.4 million adults use e-cigarettes daily or occasionally, while 4.9 million adults smoke cigarettes. The ONS survey for 2024 shows:.

Daily electronic cigarette use is most common among people aged 25-49, and its use is increasing among women.

While the popularity of smoking has fallen over the past decade as the harmful effects of tobacco encourage many people to quit, the use of less risky e-cigarettes is on the rise, especially among younger age groups.

Vaping poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking, NHS saysBecause when cigarettes burn, they release thousands of chemicals, most of which are poisonous and can cause cancer. Switching to electronic cigarettes reduces these risks.

The charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said the decline in cigarette consumption was “good news for public health” but warned that still smokers were “trapped in a cycle of addiction that is likely to take their lives”.

ASH says smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the UK, responsible for more than 70,000 deaths each year. It calls on the government to invest in and support communities where smoking rates remain high.

ONS’s Opinion and Lifestyle Survey It suggests that 10% of adults aged 16 and over use e-cigarettes daily or occasionally; This is slightly more than the 9.1% who say they currently smoke.

The number of people who said they quit smoking increased from 70.3% in 2023 to 74.2% in 2024.

By the 1970s, less than 30% had kicked the habit. At that time, almost half of the population smoked.

But a lot has changed since then. In 2006-2007, a smoking ban was introduced in closed areas and workplaces, and in 2015, a smoking ban was introduced in vehicles with children.

More recently, plain cigarette packaging was introduced in 2017.

And government legislation currently advancing through parliament – ​​called the Tobacco and Electronic Cigarettes Bill – will soon mean that anyone born on or after January 1, 2009 will not be allowed to legally buy tobacco in the UK.

Rules on how e-cigarettes are packaged and displayed in stores will also be tightened due to concerns the devices will appeal to children.

Since June it has been illegal for businesses in England to sell or supply disposable or disposable e-cigarettes. The ban aims to reduce harm to the environment and reduce the number of children and teenagers using e-cigarettes.

The BBC understands the government will make it illegal for nicotine pouches and other nicotine products to be sold to under-18s under the bill.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman told the BBC there was no limit to how powerful these pouches could be.

“The Tobacco and Vaping Act will allow us to set rules on nicotine strength, flavors and packaging to keep young people safe.”

ONS research shows 6.7% of people aged 16 and over in Great Britain vape or e-cigarette every day, up from 5.9% in 2023.

Another 3.3% say they use it occasionally.

This equates to 5.4 million current e-cigarette users, an increase from 5.1 million in 2023.

In Great Britain, daily or occasional e-cigarette use remained highest among 16-24 year olds in 2024, falling from 15.8% in 2023 to 13%.

Hazel Cheeseman, CEO of ASH, said there are still concerns about non-smokers and young people taking up vaping.