NEWS
The proportion of adults using e-cigarettes in the UK is at its highest level.
The latest data shows that the proportion of adults using e-cigarettes in the UK is at its highest level. Over the past three years, the proportion of smokers who use both e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes has nearly doubled, and those who quit smoking using e-cigarettes are also using them for longer periods. Experts say that e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking but are "not risk-free" and should only be used as an aid to quitting smoking. The "Smokefree Britain" analysis conducted by the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), based on data collected by YouGov for the public health charity, estimates that 11% of the UK adult population, equivalent to 5.6 million people, now use e-cigarettes—the highest level ever recorded. According to ASH, around 53% of e-cigarette users (approximately 3 million people) are former smokers. The proportion of smokers who currently use e-cigarettes is expected to increase from 17% in 2021 to 32% in 2024, equivalent to 2.2 million people. Among all former smokers (including those who are still using e-cigarettes and those who are no longer using them), the average time spent using e-cigarettes is two years. However, over the past three years, ASH has found that more than half of former smokers have been using e-cigarettes for more than three years. In comparison, when the question was first raised as part of the analysis in 2017, the proportion was 18%. ASH's Deputy Chief Executive Hazel Cheeseman stated, "Smoking remains the largest preventable killer in the country, and if we are to build a smokefree nation for future generations, e-cigarettes are one of the many tools needed to help smokers quit." Professor Sanjay Agrawal, Special Advisor on Tobacco to the Royal College of Physicians and Consultant in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, added, "In recent years, almost all of the patients I have seen successfully quit smoking through the use of e-cigarettes, and without them, I fear many would not have been able to quit." "E-cigarettes have been used by stop-smoking services and NHS support for smokers, but they could be more widely applied to help the millions still smoking quit." E-cigarettes displayed in stores The "Tobacco and Vaping Products Act" proposes restrictions on e-cigarette flavors, packaging, and displays to prevent young people from taking up vaping (Jacob King/PA). In July, the Labour government revived plans to introduce the "Tobacco and Vaping Products Act," which would gradually raise the age at which people can buy tobacco, making it illegal for those born after January 1, 2009, to purchase tobacco. This could also lead to restrictions on e-cigarette flavors, packaging, and displays. Ms. Cheeseman emphasized that the proposed legislation on e-cigarettes is important to prevent children from taking up vaping, not to stop adults who want to quit smoking. She added, "In recent years, millions of people have successfully quit smoking using e-cigarettes, extending their healthy lives and increasing the nation's productivity." "We urgently need stricter regulations on e-cigarettes, but it is important that these regulations address the issue of youth vaping without preventing people from using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid." Henry Gregg, Director of External Affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said, "Quitting smoking is very difficult, so it is encouraging to see that many smokers find e-cigarettes a genuinely effective smoking cessation tool." "But to help as many smokers as possible quit, the government must increase investment in local stop-smoking services. These services have been severely cut in recent years but do an excellent job in helping people quit for good and address the deadly consequences of smoking." Half of smokers in the survey said they believed that vaping was as harmful as or more harmful than smoking, and 60% of those who had never used e-cigarettes shared this view. In contrast, 24% of smokers had quit in the past five years. Ms. Cheeseman said, "The government must also more effectively communicate that while vaping is less harmful than smoking, it is not without risks and should only be used as a smoking cessation aid." Professor Leonie Brose, Professor of Public Health in Addictions at King’s College London, added, "More than half of long-term smokers will die prematurely due to smoking." "It is shocking that half of smokers believe vaping is as harmful or even more harmful than smoking, and almost as many do not realize that nicotine-containing products are less harmful than smoking." "These misconceptions are costing lives, and we must continue to work to reduce the harm caused by smoking." Dr. Katherine East from King’s College London said, "Most adults in the UK who have quit smoking have used e-cigarettes in their last quit attempt." "Quitting smoking is one of the best things a smoker can do for their health, and the latest ASH data highlights the importance of e-cigarettes in this process." A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said, "While e-cigarettes can be an effective tool for quitting smoking, health advice is clear: children and adults who do not smoke should never take up vaping." "The upcoming Tobacco and Vaping Products Act will protect future generations from the harms of tobacco and nicotine, save thousands of lives, and ease the pressure on the NHS." "By building a healthier society, we will help build a healthier economy."