The latest Office for National Statistics data for 2025 shows that more than a million UK adults who have never smoked are now using e‑cigarettes, a rise from roughly 940,000 the previous year. This shift means that, for the second consecutive year, the number of people vaping exceeds the number of those smoking traditional cigarettes.
Rise of Vaping Among Never‑Smokers
According to the ONS, 1.1 million individuals who have never tried a cigarette report vaping daily or occasionally. The proportion of adults who have never used an e‑cigarette fell slightly to 83.0 % in 2025, down from 83.4 % in 2024. Overall, 7.2 % of the population said they had tried an e‑cigarette at least once, up from 6.6 % the year before.
Age Patterns Shift
Vaping is now most common among 25‑ to 35‑year‑olds, with 16.4 % of this group using e‑cigarettes daily or occasionally. This overtakes the 16‑ to 24‑year‑old bracket, marking a notable change from earlier trends. David Mais of the ONS commented that the ageing of the vaping cohort “may reflect existing users getting older, growing popularity among this age group, or a combination of both”. Meanwhile, the 25‑ to 34‑year‑old demographic is now more likely to vape than the younger 16‑ to 24‑year‑old group.
Smoking Continues to Decline
The number of smokers in the UK has fallen to 4.9 million, representing nearly one in ten adults, down from 5.3 million in 2024. In contrast, vapers now total 5.4 million among those over 16, confirming that e‑cigarette use has surpassed smoking. The highest smoking prevalence remains in the 45‑ to 54‑year‑old bracket at 12.4 %, while men remain more likely to smoke than women. The 18‑ to 24‑year‑old cohort has experienced the largest drop in smoking across all age groups, and half of current smokers say they intend to quit.
Health Guidance and Legislative Moves
The NHS maintains that vaping is less harmful than smoking, though the long‑term effects remain uncertain. It advises that non‑smokers and anyone under 18 should never vape. Looking ahead, new legislation set to take effect in the coming year will prohibit the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, aiming to create a “smoke‑free” generation. Hazel Cheeseman of Action on Smoking and Health welcomed the falling smoking rates, stating: “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.”
Why it Matters
The data signal a profound shift in nicotine consumption across the UK, with vaping now outpacing smoking among adults while never‑smoker uptake climbs. This trend offers both a potential public‑health benefit—reducing exposure to the known harms of tobacco—and a challenge, as the long‑term safety of widespread e‑cigarette use remains uncertain. Policymakers must balance encouraging smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives with preventing initiation among young people and non‑smokers, especially as new tobacco‑sale restrictions aim to secure a smoke‑free future for the next generation.