Fall in smoking means more people now vape than smoke

New official government estimates of smoking and vaping released today show that a further record drop in smoking means that there are now more people in Great Britain who vape than smoke. An estimated 5.4 million people aged 16+ vape daily or occasionally compared to 4.9 million current smokers.  

The evidence that vaping is displacing smoking among adults is good news for public health as vaping is less harmful and shown to be a valuable aid to quitting smoking.  

There are also positive indications that past increases in younger people vaping may have stalled, supported by data released by ASH in the summer. While there is an increase in the overall number of adult daily e-cigarette users, rising from 5.9% in 2023 to 6.7% in 2024, there were differences by age. The youngest age group (16-24) saw a small fall in daily vaping, from 6.9% to 6.1%, while those aged 35-49 saw the largest increase from 6.8% in 2023 to 9.5% in 2024. ONS report that most vapers are current or ex-smokers.  

The government’s continued strategy to promote vaping as a quitting aid to smokers while clamping down on youth use and promotion appears to be having the right impact and it is hoped that further measures to curb youth vaping while maintaining products as a tool for adult cessation contained in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill can maintain this trend.  

The data published today is from two different surveys published together by the Office for National Statistics. The estimates comparing vaping and smoking are from the ONS Opinion and Lifestyle Survey and relate to Great Britain. The official rates for smoking in the UK come from the Annual Population Survey. These also show continued progress. The proportion of adults 18+ in the UK who smoke has reached an historic all time low at 10.6%. This is a reduction of 0.5 percentage points from last year’s data (which has been reweighted by ONS) and equates to 5.3 million people smoking in the UK with differences across UK nations:

• England: 10.4%
• Wales: 11.4%
• Scotland: 12.0%
• Northern Ireland: 10.5%

This progress is welcome, however, the government set a goal in 2019 for England to be smokefree by 2030 (defined as smoking rates of 5% or lower). To reach this, smoking rates need to fall by 0.9 percentage points each year. This will require sustained action and significant investment in support to low-income groups where smoking rates remain highest.  

The new data comes as the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill continues to be debated in the House of Lords. The Bill will prohibit the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009, creating a “smokefree generation” The Bill will also grant the government powers to curb the irresponsible marketing of vapes to children and regulate product design to reduce their appeal to non-smokers.  

Commenting on the data, Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive of ASH welcomed the trend, but emphasised the role that strong government policy has played in reducing smoking rates, urging focus on evidence-based policies. She said:  

“The fall in smoking rates in the UK is an achievement at a time when European trends in smoking have stagnated. We have sustained progress because of a long-term commitment to comprehensive tobacco control, including support to help people quit. The creation of smokefree generation through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is the next important regulatory step to ending the harms from smoking in this country.  

“However, the Bill alone won’t be enough. Behind the statistic of 5 million people still smoking are individuals trapped in a cycle of addiction that will likely take their lives. The cost of this is felt across the economy and places a significant burden on our NHS.  

“In 2019 government pledged to have fewer than 5% of people smoking by 2030. To reach this goal the government needs to accelerate progress, invest in what works, and support communities where smoking rates remain high. We need a new strategy, alongside the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, with clear targets and renewed ambition."

Commenting on the new estimates for the numbers of people vaping she added:  

“It is a significant moment that for the first time more adults consume nicotine through vapes than tobacco. The growth in vaping has almost certainly contributed to the fall in smoking and is therefore to be welcomed.  

“However, the concerns about non-smokers and young people taking up vaping remain. New powers to further regulate vapes in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill are a good opportunity to maintain the current trends by restricting marketing and reinforcing the role of vapes as a quitting tool.”

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the UK, responsible for over 70,000 deaths every year.  

ENDS

For more information: press@ash.org.uk

Notes to editors

The smoking data is from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and the vaping data is from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN), reported on in the new ‘Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2024’ bulletin, published today by the Office for National Statistics.