Vaping Overtakes Smoking in UK as Never-Smokers Using E-Cigarettes Pass One Million

More than one million people across the UK who say they have never smoked a cigarette are now using vapes, according to newly released data for 2025. The figure represents a notable increase from the previous year, when approximately 940,000 never-smokers reported vaping, underscoring the growing presence of e-cigarettes among people with no history of tobacco use.

The data, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), reveals that 1.1 million people who have never tried smoking now vape either daily or occasionally. This marks a continuing upward trend that has raised questions about the shifting landscape of nicotine consumption in Britain and whether e-cigarettes are reaching audiences beyond those seeking to quit traditional tobacco products.

For the second consecutive year, vaping has outpaced smoking among UK residents aged 16 and over. Approximately 5.4 million people now use vapes or e-cigarettes, compared with 4.9 million who smoke cigarettes. The number of smokers has fallen from 5.3 million in 2024, bringing the smoking rate to roughly one in ten adults — a historic low for the country.

The demographic profile of vapers is also changing. People aged 25 to 35 are now the most likely group to use e-cigarettes, overtaking 16 to 24-year-olds for the first time. Among this older cohort, 16.4% report vaping daily or occasionally. David Mais, from the ONS, noted that the shift may reflect existing users growing older, increasing popularity among this age group, or a combination of both factors.

Overall, the proportion of people who have never used an e-cigarette continued to decline, falling from 83.4% in 2024 to 83.0% in 2025. Meanwhile, 7.2% of respondents reported having used an e-cigarette, up from 6.6% the previous year, indicating a gradual but steady expansion of vaping across the population.

The decline in smoking has been attributed in part to growing awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco, which has encouraged many people to quit. Experts say the popularity of cigarette smoking has decreased as public health messaging and cessation support have improved. The NHS maintains that vaping is less harmful than smoking, though it cautions that the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes remain unclear.

Despite the lower risk profile compared with tobacco, health authorities are clear that non-smokers and people aged 17 and under should never vape. The rising number of never-smokers taking up e-cigarettes has therefore become a focal point for public health discussions, with concerns that vaping may be normalising nicotine use among groups who would not otherwise have been exposed.

The ONS figures also highlight differences in smoking behaviour across demographic groups. Men were more likely to smoke than women in 2025, continuing a pattern seen in previous years. People aged 45 to 54 had the highest proportion of current smokers at 12.4%, while young adults aged 18 to 24 experienced the largest drop in smoking among all age groups.

Among those who currently smoke, half said they intended to quit, suggesting that cessation remains a significant goal for many. The data also showed that smoking rates have fallen enormously over recent decades, yet tobacco remains the biggest driver of preventable death in the UK, according to Hazel Cheeseman of the charity Action on Smoking and Health.

Cheeseman described the latest statistics as showing encouraging progress in cutting smoking rates but stressed that more work remains. She said now is the time to finish the job, reflecting a widespread view among health campaigners that the end of smoking is within reach if current trends continue and policy measures are sustained.

A major legislative change is set to reshape the tobacco landscape further. New legislation taking effect in the new year will permanently ban the legal sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. The measure is designed to create a so-called smoke-free generation, ensuring that young people growing up today will never be able to legally purchase cigarettes.

The policy represents one of the most ambitious tobacco control measures introduced in the UK, aiming to phase out smoking entirely over time by cutting off the supply of tobacco to successive birth cohorts. While the ban targets legal sales, it does not criminalise possession or use, focusing instead on preventing young people from ever starting the habit.

Taken together, the ONS data and the forthcoming legislation paint a picture of a country in transition. Smoking is declining, vaping is rising, and the age profile of vapers is shifting upward. The challenge for policymakers and health professionals will be to balance the harm-reduction potential of e-cigarettes for existing smokers against the risk of drawing never-smokers and young people into nicotine dependence.

The coming years will be critical in determining whether the UK can achieve its goal of a smoke-free generation while managing the rapid growth of vaping. With more than a million never-smokers now using e-cigarettes, the debate over how to regulate these products — and whom they should be marketed to — is far from settled.