Use of vapes (e-cigarettes) among young people in Great Britain
Summary of key findings
This factsheet analyses how behaviour and attitudes to vapes (e-cigarettes) among young people have changed over time. The ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey analysis is based on data concerning young people aged 11-18 collected by YouGov for ASH and is carried out in the Spring each year. The survey began in 2013, and this update includes the results of the 2024 survey (n=2,596) carried out in February and March 2024. Unless stated otherwise, this factsheet reports results for 11–17-year-olds, under the legal vaping age (n=2,336).
The rates of vaping among 11–17-year-olds appear to have stabilised after a period of increase. The proportion of young people aged 11- 17 who have ever vaped has not significantly changed between 2023 (20%) and 2024 (18%) (Figure 1). Current vaping among 11–17-year-olds, which includes vaping less than once a month, is 7.2% (Figure 2), and has not significantly increased since 2022. Those experimenting with vaping (trying once or twice) has not significantly changed between 2023 (11.6%) and 2024 (9.5%) (Figure 3). For more detail about vaping and smoking definitions, see Appendix 3.
In 2024, the 18% of 11–17-year-olds who have tried vaping amounts to around 980,000 children. Over half of these (53% of ever vapers, or 9.5% of all youth) had only tried once or twice (520,000 children), with 3.0% of all youth vaping less than once a week (160,000 children), 4.2% more than once a week (230,000 children), and the remainder (1.3%) saying they no longer vape.
Exposure to vape promotion remains high, having increased between 2022 and 2023 (Figure 21). In 2024, 72% of 11–17-year-olds report they were exposed to some form of vape promotion, the main sources being in shops (55%) and online (29%).