UK 2025: One million non-smokers now vaping data shows
Latest 2025 ONS data reveals 1.1 million UK residents who never smoked use vapes, with 25-35 age group overtaking teens.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- UK 2025 data shows 1.1 million non-smokers now regularly use vapes
- Those aged 25-35 lead usage at 16.4%, overtaking 16-24 age group
- More over-16s use e-cigarettes than traditional cigarettes for second year
Fresh official data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the United Kingdom reveals that more than 1.1 million people who report never trying a cigarette are now regular or occasional vapers, climbing from approximately 940,000 individuals recorded in 2024.
This shift illustrates evolving nicotine consumption patterns across the country. Adults aged between 25 and 35 now vape more frequently than any other demographic, recording a usage rate of 16.4% and officially overtaking the 16 to 24 age bracket.
For the second consecutive year, ONS figures show that a greater number of individuals aged 16 and over use e-cigarettes compared to traditional tobacco cigarettes, with total vapers in this age group reaching 5.4 million.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Meanwhile, traditional cigarette smoking rates in the UK continue their downward trajectory, declining to nearly one in ten adults or 4.9 million people, down from 5.3 million in 2024. Adults aged 45 to 54 currently hold the highest proportion of active smokers at 12.4%, while young adults aged 18 to 24 experienced the sharpest drop in smoking prevalence.
"Smoking has fallen enormously over recent decades, but it remains the biggest driver of preventable death in the UK. Now is the time to finish the job."
Hazel Cheeseman, Action on Smoking and Health
The dominance of the 25-35 age group in vaping highlights how e-cigarettes have moved past youth culture into early adulthood. Combined with forthcoming legislative bans on tobacco sales for anyone born from 2009 onward, these figures mark a pivotal transition in the nation's public health landscape.
David Mais of the ONS noted that vapers are skewing older, which "may reflect existing users getting older, growing popularity among this age group, or a combination of both."
While the NHS maintains that vaping carries lower health risks than smoking, long-term health consequences remain unclear, and health officials strongly advise that non-smokers and individuals aged 17 and under should abstain from using e-cigarettes entirely.
Source: BBC Health
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