New data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that vaping among never-smokers in Great Britain has increased significantly over the past several years. In 2025, approximately 1.1 million people aged 16 and above who had never been regular smokers reported using e-cigarettes daily or occasionally. This represents a substantial increase from 940,000 in 2024 and marks the first time official figures confirmed the figure exceeded 1 million across Great Britain.
The growth rate has been particularly steep when examined over a longer timeframe. The proportion of never-smokers who currently use e-cigarettes nearly doubled between 2021 and 2025, rising from 1.5% to 2.9% of the population. Overall vaping prevalence stands at 9.9% of the adult population in Great Britain, with usage concentrated among younger age groups. The 25-34 age bracket showed the highest vaping rate at 16.4% and marked the only age group with increased usage from 2024 to 2025, surpassing the 16-24 age group as the most common users.
Health experts have expressed concern about the trend. An associate professor at London Metropolitan University noted that while e-cigarettes can assist adults in quitting smoking, they carry risks and their long-term effects remain unclear. He emphasized the need to balance preserving vapes as a cessation tool while protecting children and non-smokers from uptake.
Meanwhile, traditional smoking continues a long-term decline in the UK. Approximately 4.9 million adults aged 18 and over reported smoking cigarettes in 2025, representing 9.8% of the population and the lowest proportion on record. This marks a decrease from 10.6% in 2024. Men remain more likely to smoke than women, with 11.3% of men and 8.2% of women reporting current smoking status. The most dramatic reduction has occurred among younger adults, with smoking prevalence in the 18-24 age group falling from 25.7% in 2011 to 7.2% in 2025.
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