For the first time in Britain’s history, the number of people using e-cigarettes has overtaken the number of cigarette smokers, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics.

The landmark figures reveal that 10% of adults aged 16 and over in Britain use e-cigarettes every day or occasionally, compared with 9.1% who smoke traditional cigarettes. This translates to approximately 5.4 million vapers and 4.9 million smokers across Great Britain.

A Decade of Dramatic Change

The shift represents a remarkable transformation in British habits over the past decade. In 2014, some 18.8% of British adults aged 16 and older were cigarette users, compared to just 3.7% being vape users.

David Mais from the ONS noted the significance of the data, stating that 2024 marks the first time vaping rates in UK have surpassed smoking rates. He described the finding as aligning with the long-term trend of fewer people smoking cigarettes over the past decade.

Women Closing the Gap

Gender patterns in e-cigarette use have shifted notably. One in 10 women reported using e-cigarettes daily or occasionally in 2024, up from 8.5% in 2023. Meanwhile, the proportion of men who use vapes on a daily or occasional basis reduced from 11% in 2023 to 10.1% in 2024.

The convergence suggests that vaping rates in UK are becoming more evenly distributed between genders, reversing the previous male-dominated pattern.

Young People and Daily Use

ONS figures show that people aged 16 to 24 had the highest rate of daily or occasional vape use in 2024 at 13%, down from 15.8% the previous year. In 2024, people aged 25 to 34 and those aged 35 to 49 were most likely to vape daily.

An estimated 6.7% of people aged 16 and over in Britain reported using an e-cigarette daily in 2024, up from 5.9% in 2023. This increase in regular use suggests that e-cigarettes are becoming embedded in daily routines.

The Never-Smoker Question

Around 2.7% of those who had never smoked reported using an e-cigarette daily or occasionally. This statistic has raised concerns amongst public health experts about whether vaping rates in UK are expanding beyond their intended purpose as smoking cessation tools.

Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, acknowledged it as a significant moment that for the first time more adults consume nicotine through vapes than tobacco. Whilst welcoming the growth in vaping for its likely contribution to falling smoking rates, she emphasised that concerns about non-smokers and young people taking up vaping remain.

She pointed to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill as a good opportunity to maintain current trends by restricting marketing and reinforcing the role of vapes as a quitting tool.

Calls for Stronger Regulation

Deborah Arnott, honorary associate professor at University College London, argued that the ONS data showing that more people now vape than smoke underlines the need for greater regulation. She stressed that vaping is not risk-free and should only be used to help smokers quit.

Arnott highlighted that inadequate regulation has led to growth in e-cigarette use by never-smokers in recent years, particularly among young people. She called for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill currently before Parliament to be put on the statute book without delay.

A Public Health Success?

Not everyone views the rising vaping rates in UK with concern. Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ rights group Forest, noted that smoking rates have been falling for decades, largely because people have been educated about the health risks.

He pointed out that products such as vapes and nicotine pouches have provided reduced-risk alternatives to cigarettes, encouraging millions of smokers to switch and quit voluntarily.

John Britton, emeritus professor of epidemiology at the University of Nottingham, went further, stating that the figures vindicate UK tobacco policy over the past 15 years. He credited the transition to vaping with leading to unprecedented reductions in smoking prevalence, especially among young people, predicting this process will prevent millions of premature deaths in the coming decades.

Regional Variations in Smoking

Separate ONS figures reveal stark regional differences in smoking rates across the UK. Fenland in Cambridgeshire has the highest average percentage of adults aged 18 and over who are current smokers at 19.8%, followed by Blackpool in Lancashire at 19.7%.

At the other end of the spectrum, Woking in Surrey has the lowest percentage at 4.2%, followed by Epsom and Ewell in Surrey at 4.8%. These figures represent averages for 2020 to 2024.

What the Numbers Mean

The crossover point where e-cigarette use surpassed smoking rates marks a significant moment in public health history. However, the data presents a complex picture that requires careful interpretation.

Whilst traditional smoking continues its long-term decline, the growth in vaping, particularly amongst young people and never-smokers, raises questions about whether e-cigarettes are purely functioning as harm-reduction tools or creating a new generation of nicotine users.

As Britain navigates this shifting landscape, the balance between supporting smoking cessation and preventing the uptake of vaping amongst those who have never smoked remains a critical challenge for policymakers and public health officials.

The debate over how best to regulate these products whilst preserving their potential benefits for existing smokers will likely intensify as vaping rates in UK continue to evolve.

Source: dbrecoveryresources