Holy smoke! Vaping hits record level with 4.3m Britons using e-cigarettes 

Vaping has reached record levels – with an estimated 4.3million Britons now using e-cigarettes, a report shows.

The figures suggest 8.3 per cent of adults in England, Wales and Scotland use vapes, up from 1.7 per cent, or around 8,000 people, ten years ago.

Action on Smoking and Health, which compiled the report, said there has been a ‘vaping revolution’, with the proportion of vapers who’ve never smoked cigarettes rising from 4.9 per cent last year to 8.1 per cent this year.

Vapers reported that the main reason they used e-cigarettes were for quitting smoking, to prevent them from returning to smoking

Of the 4.3million vapers, around 2.4million are ex-smokers, 1.5 million are current smokers and 350,000 have never smoked. 

The figures, shared with PA and based on a YouGov survey of 13,000 adults, show 35 per cent of vapers also smoked, and one in five said they used a vape to help them quit.

While it’s illegal to sell vapes to under-18s, the number of 11 to 17-year-olds vaping rose from 4 to 7 per cent between 2020 and 2022.

Vapers reported that the main reason they used e-cigarettes were for quitting smoking, to prevent them from returning to smoking and 14% said they used vapes “because they enjoy it”.

Most vapers reported using refillable tank systems but the report points to a rise in disposable e-cigarettes – up from 2.3% of vapers using these in 2021 to 15% this year.

The authors suggested that younger adults are driving the increase in the disposable vapes, with 48% of 18 to 24-year-old vapers using this type of device.

While it’s illegal to sell vapes to under-18s, the number of 11 to 17-year-olds vaping rose from 4 to 7 per cent between 2020 and 2022

They found the most popular flavours were fruit, followed by menthol.

“Over the last decade we’ve seen a vaping revolution take hold,” said Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive of ASH.

“There are now five times as many vapers as there were in 2012, with millions having used them as part of a quit attempt.

Most vapers reported using refillable tank systems but the report points to a rise in disposable e-cigarettes – up from 2.3% of vapers using these in 2021 to 15% this year

“However, they haven’t worked for everyone. Just under half of smokers who have tried them have stopped using them and 28% have never tried one at all.

“Government has said that a ‘vaping revolution’ will help them meet their ambition for a smokefree country by 2030 but it won’t be enough – we need a comprehensive plan that will help all smokers.”

Earlier this year a separate report from ASH concluded that the proportion of children vaping is on the rise, with many being influenced by social media sites such as TikTok.

Earlier this year a report from ASH concluded that the proportion of children vaping is on the rise, with many being influenced by social media sites such as TikTok