The number of UK adults who use vapes has reached its highest levels since 2017, according to new figures.
This is based on research conducted by public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), which used data collected by Yougov.
The figures revealed that some 5.6 million UK adults are using vapes, the equivalent of around 11{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497} of the adult population. In addition, more than half (53{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497}) of these adults are former smokers.
The data also found that the number of UK adults who both smoke and vape have almost doubled since 2021, increasing from 17{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497} to 32{e60f258f32f4d0090826105a8a8e4487cca35cebb3251bd7e4de0ff6f7e40497}. This amounts to around 2.2 million people.
Hazel Cheeseman is deputy chief executive of ASH. She 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.’
Vape regulations incoming
In his speech last month, King Charles III confirmed that the newly-elected Labour government will revive the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
The bill will introduce provisions to reduce youth vaping, including introducing new powers to regulate the flavours, contents and packaging of vaping products.
This comes as recent data found that almost one million children aged 11 to 17 have tried vaping. In addition, it is estimated that 230,000 children vape more than once a week.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will also introduce a smoking ban, by making it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. This would effectively ban the next generation from buying cigarettes.
This bill was first introduced by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, but was dropped in the run-up to the general election while it was in the process of passing through the House of Commons.
Following the King’s Speech, Ash chief executive Deborah Arnott said: ‘Today’s announcement puts us in pole position to be the first country in the world to end smoking. Smoking puts pressure on our NHS and social care system, but the greatest financial impact is the damage to our economy due to lost productivity.
‘The measures announced today will play a major role in helping government achieve its ambition to halve the difference in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions, and deliver productivity growth in every part of the country.’
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