Key facts
- 5.4 million UK adults now vape, surpassing the 4.9 million who smoke.
- 1.1 million people who have never smoked now vape daily or occasionally.
- The 25-34 age group has the highest vaping rates at 16.4%.
Vaping has now overtaken smoking in the UK, with 5.4 million adults using e-cigarettes compared to 4.9 million smokers, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The number of people who have never smoked but now vape has reached 1.1 million. The data also indicates that the 25-34 age group is now more likely to vape than 16-24 year olds, with 16.4% using e-cigarettes daily or occasionally.
The ONS figures for 2025 show a continued decline in smoking rates, with nearly one in 10 adults now smoking. The percentage of people who had never used an e-cigarette also decreased slightly to 83.0% from 83.4% in 2024. David Mais of the ONS noted that vapers are getting older, suggesting this could be due to existing users aging or growing popularity within that demographic.
This trend comes as the UK prepares to implement new legislation at the start of the new year 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 from the charity Action on Smoking and Health described the statistics as encouraging progress in reducing smoking rates, emphasizing that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the UK and calling for efforts to "finish the job."