Youth vaping trends in the UK have shifted dramatically in the past year. New data confirms a sharp fall in disposable vape use among children and teenagers, offering a significant public health win. That victory arrives as the broader cost of smoking to England reaches an estimated £44.8 billion a year.

The ban on single-use vapes came into force on 1 June 2025 under single-use plastics legislation. Its dual aims were to reduce environmental harm and deter uptake among children. Fresh survey data from Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) suggests it is achieving both.

Youth Vaping Trends Fall to Record Low

Among 11 to 17 year olds who vape, just 13% now say disposable products are their main choice. That is down from 42% in 2025, before the ban came into effect, and well below the peak of 69% recorded in 2023. The shift among adults is equally marked. Only 8% of adult vapers now mainly use disposables, compared with 24% in 2025 and a peak of 31% in 2023.

The findings, drawn from YouGov surveys commissioned by ASH, point to a genuine behavioural shift rather than a temporary dip. Most adult vapers report reusing their devices. In fact, 46% say they reuse products at least ten times. However, a concerning 18% still rarely or never reuse their vapes, suggesting behavioural challenges remain even as the ban takes hold.

There had also been worry that the ban might push some adults back to cigarettes. While 70% of people who mainly used disposables just before the ban reported no change to their smoking, 13% said it led to an increase. That finding is a reminder that harm reduction must keep reusable alternatives accessible and affordable.

Smoking Costs England £44.8 Billion a Year

The data on vaping among young people arrives alongside a stark new assessment of the financial toll of tobacco. New figures from ASH put the total cost of smoking to society in England at £44.8 billion a year. By contrast, tobacco taxation raises only around £7.5 billion annually.

Lost productivity accounts for the largest share, at £27.8 billion. Smoking reduces earnings and limits employment prospects for millions of people. Social care adds a further £14.8 billion, as people with smoking-related illness need more support in later life. Healthcare costs reach £1.8 billion, with an additional £383 million attributed to fires caused by smoking.

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK. It causes around 80,000 deaths each year.

A Generational Shift in Tobacco Law

Changing youth vaping trends sit within a much broader legislative push. In April 2026, the UK passed the Tobacco and Vapes Act, introducing a generational ban on tobacco sales to anyone born in 2009 or later. From January 2027, today’s 17 year olds will never be able to legally buy cigarettes. Vapes are excluded from that sales ban, since they can help adult smokers quit.

Public support for action is strong. ASH surveys show 68% of English adults back the generational tobacco ban, including 50% of Reform UK supporters. Meanwhile, 77% support a levy on tobacco companies to fund stop-smoking services.

ASH is calling on the government to publish a national tobacco control strategy. The charity also wants a target of two million fewer smokers by the end of this Parliament, and increased investment in stop-smoking support to around £310 million a year.

Balancing Youth Protection and Adult Support

ASH Chief Executive Hazel Cheeseman welcomed the improvement in youth vaping trends. However, she said further action on marketing was still needed.

“The sharp decline in disposable vape use is encouraging and suggests the policy is having an impact in driving people towards reusable products,” she said. “Government must now use the powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Act to restrict the marketing tricks that make vapes appealing to children.”

She also stressed the importance of keeping vaping accessible for adults trying to quit. “While vaping is not risk-free, it is substantially less harmful than smoking and remains one of the most effective tools for helping people quit.”

On the broader tobacco cost figures, Cheeseman pointed to the communities bearing the heaviest burden. “Too many communities, particularly those in areas of high deprivation where smoking rates are highest, continue to bear the greatest health and financial burden, while the tobacco industry remains the only real beneficiary.”

What Comes Next

Secondary legislation under the Tobacco and Vapes Act is expected by 2029. It will cover licensing for tobacco retailers and advertising restrictions on vapes and nicotine products from June 2027. Policymakers can also introduce limits on flavours, packaging, and outdoor smoking areas.

The data on vaping among young people shows that bold regulatory action can shift behaviour quickly. The challenge now is sustaining that momentum across a much larger and more entrenched public health problem.

Source: dbrecoveryresources