Recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows a sharp decline in smoking rates among young adults. Smoking prevalence in the 18- to 24-year-old age group has dropped from 25.7% in 2011 to just 9.8% in 2023. 

At the same time, vaping has emerged as a key factor in this decline. The ONS data indicates that over 4.3 million adults in the UK are current vapers. Among these, the vast majority are either current or former smokers using vapes to remain smoke-free. Only about 121,000 people, or 2.8% of vapers, have never smoked, reinforcing that vaping is largely being used as a harm reduction tool for smokers, rather than attracting non-smokers. 

Another recent study suggests a higher estimate, indicating that around 1,006,000 adults in England who had never regularly smoked now vape. This discrepancy arises because the study defines “never smokers” more broadly, including individuals who may have experimented with smoking but were not regular smokers. Both datasets ultimately show that most vapers come from a smoking background, with only a minority consisting of people who had never smoked regularly, highlighting vaping’s role in harm reduction.

These figures align with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ findings that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking, making it a crucial public health tool.

Andrej Kuttruf, CEO of Evapo, a leading UK vaping retailer, weighed in on the findings: “The official ONS statistics show that vaping, which the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has said is 95% less harmful than smoking, has been a main contributor to the more than halving of youth smoking, while also helping nearly a fifth of former smokers quit smoking.

“The ONS has also said that only 2.8% of vapers had never smoked before, further showing how important vaping products are to help smokers quit and how few non-smokers actually vape. We support the government’s recent decision to ‘actively consider’ a common-sense, self-supporting vaping licensing scheme, which we believe will help smokers quit, support the NHS, stop the criminals, and protect the children from potentially illegal and harmful vaping products.”

While public health advocates push for a smoke-free generation, the reality is that vaping has played a crucial role in pushing smoking rates to record lows. Although the ideal scenario would be for young adults to avoid nicotine entirely, experts argue that the switch to vaping, particularly among current and former smokers, is a significant step towards harm reduction.