One million UK adults who have never smoked are now vaping
New data reveals one million UK adults who have never smoked are now vaping, with overall vaping rates rising to 7.2%.Summary
Around one million adults in the UK who have never smoked have taken up vaping, according to new data highlighted alongside new legislation. The UK is introducing a law that will permanently ban the legal sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, aiming to create a "smoke-free" generation. Hazel Cheeseman of the charity Action on Smoking and Health said smoking rates have fallen enormously but remain the biggest driver of preventable death in the UK, adding: "Now is the time to finish the job." The ONS data shows men were more likely to smoke than women in 2025, and people aged 45-54 had the highest proportion of current smokers (12.4%). Young adults aged 18 to 24 saw the largest drop in smoking among all age groups. Half of current smokers said they intended to quit, and 7.2% reported having used an e-cigarette, up from 6.6% in 2024. Kruti Shrotri of Cancer Research UK said: "While a continued fall in smoking rates is encouraging, tobacco remains the leading cause of cancer in the UK." She noted that although long-term risks of vaping are unknown, evidence so far shows legal vapes are less harmful than tobacco and an effective tool to stop smoking. The vaping data covers people aged 16 and over in Great Britain, while the smoking statistics cover adults across the whole of the UK.
(Source：The Bbc)
