For the first time on record, the number of people who vape in Great Britain has surpassed the number of those who smoke traditional cigarettes, according to new 2024 data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The figures show that one in ten (10%) adults aged 16 and over now use e-cigarettes either daily or occasionally, equating to approximately 5.4 million people. This is compared to 9.1% who smoke cigarettes, representing about 4.9 million people.
This milestone highlights a dramatic shift in nicotine consumption habits over the past decade. In 2014, nearly 19% of British adults were cigarette users, while only 3.7% used vapes. David Mais from the ONS commented, "Interestingly, our 2024 data show that, for the first time, the number of users of e-cigarettes or vapes has overtaken the number of smokers... This is in line with the long-term trend of fewer people smoking cigarettes over the past decade."
The data also reveals interesting demographic trends. The proportion of women who vape daily or occasionally increased from 8.5% in 2023 to 10% in 2024, while the proportion of male vapers slightly decreased from 11% to 10.1%. Daily vape use was highest among people aged 25 to 34 and 35 to 49. While overall occasional or daily vape use was highest among 16-24 year-olds at 13%, this figure is down from 15.8% in the previous year.
Health experts and advocacy groups have responded to this shift with a mix of cautious optimism and calls for stricter regulation. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), called it a "significant moment," stating, "The growth in vaping has almost certainly contributed to the fall in smoking and is therefore to be welcomed." However, she reiterated concerns about non-smokers and young people taking up vaping, emphasizing the need for the new powers in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to restrict marketing and reinforce vaping's role as a quitting tool.
Deborah Arnott, an honorary associate professor at University College London (UCL), argued that the data "underlines the need for greater regulation," as inadequate rules have led to growth in e-cigarette use by never-smokers, particularly youth. Simon Clark, director of smokers' rights group Forest, credited both education and the availability of reduced-risk alternatives like vapes for the decline in smoking rates.
Professor John Britton, emeritus professor of epidemiology at the University of Nottingham, viewed the figures as a vindication of UK tobacco policy, stating, "the transition to vaping leading to unprecedented reductions in smoking prevalence... will prevent millions of premature deaths in the coming decades." The data also showed that about 2.7% of people who had never smoked reported using an e-cigarette, a figure that public health officials will be watching closely as new regulations, such as the ban on disposable vapes, take effect.
