Key Summary
- Vapers now outnumber smokers in Great Britain, driven by rising use among adults
- Smoking rates fall, while experts warn vaping isn’t risk-free
- New UK laws will ban tobacco for future generations and tighten vape regulations
The number of people who vape now outnumber smokers in Great Britain for the first time, and it is gaining popularity among women, according to recent survey.
The Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) Opinions and Lifestyle Survey shows 10 per cent of adults over sixteen vape, slightly higher than the 9.1 per cent who smoke.
Around 5.4 million adults between 25 to 49 years of age now prefer vapes or e-cigarettes over cigarettes.
More individuals quit smoking (74.2 per cent) in 2024, compared with 2023 (70.3 per cent), the survey shows.
As per NHS, the risks posed by vaping is far less than smoking cigarettes, which release thousands of chemicals, many of which are poisonous and can cause cancer.
Switching to vaping reduces those risks, but its long-term effects aren't yet known.
Health experts caution that vaping is not completely harmless, so children and non-smokers should keep away.
The upcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill discussed in the parliament will prohibit anyone born from 1 January 2009 onward from buying tobacco in the UK.
The bill also plans to tighten some laws related to vape.
The rules on vape packaging and shop displays will be made strict to reduce its exposure to children.
Since June, selling single-use vapes has been illegal in the UK to cut environmental harm and youth vaping.
