Over One Million People in England Now Vape Without Ever Being Regular Smokers, Study Finds
Study Reveals One Million Non-Smokers in England Are Now Regular Vapers，Health Experts Call for Tighter Oversight as E-Cigarette Use Surges Among Non-Smokers。
A new study published in The Lancet Public Health has revealed a dramatic rise in the number of people in England who vape despite never having been regular cigarette smokers. The number has soared from about 133,000 in 2021 to more than 1 million in 2024 — a sevenfold increase in just three years.
📊 Sharp Increase Among Young Adults
The study, led by researchers at University College London (UCL), found that 14% of 18- to 24-year-olds who have never regularly smoked are now using e-cigarettes. This rise among non-smokers has sparked concern among public health experts, especially as many of these individuals report daily and sustained vaping behavior.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) further showed that 5.1 million adults (16+) in Britain — around 1 in 10 — currently use e-cigarettes, with the highest usage rate seen among those aged 16 to 24 (15.8%).
⚠️ Health Experts Raise Concerns
Professor Nick Hopkinson, chair of Action on Smoking and Health, stated:
“Vaping has helped millions quit smoking and is far less harmful than cigarettes, but it’s not risk-free. The growing uptake among young people and never-smokers is worrying.”
Professor Sanjay Agrawal of the Royal College of Physicians echoed the concern, calling for urgent action to address the increasing use among youth and non-smokers.
“While e-cigarettes are a useful tool for smoking cessation, we must prevent them from becoming a new public health threat.”
🧪 Key Findings from the Study
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The researchers analyzed survey data from 153,073 adults between 2016 and 2024, of which 94,107 had never regularly smoked.
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Between 2016 and 2020, just 0.5% of non-smokers vaped. By April 2024, that number had climbed to 3.5%, totaling over 1 million people.
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The increase was particularly strong among younger adults, women, and individuals who consumed alcohol at higher-risk levels.
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Many of these vapers preferred disposable devices, higher nicotine strengths, and bought products from supermarkets or convenience stores.
🔄 Disposable Ban ‘Not Enough,’ Say Researchers
Despite the UK government’s plans to ban disposable vapes, the UCL researchers argue that this measure alone is unlikely to be effective.
Brands have already started introducing reusable alternatives with similar designs and prices.
Professor Jamie Brown, senior author of the study, suggests:
“Banning disposables won’t fix the issue. Stricter rules on product appearance, packaging, and marketing would likely be more effective — without reducing e-cigarettes’ potential to help smokers quit.”
🧠 Public Health Trade-Offs
Lead author Dr. Sarah Jackson noted that the public health impact depends on who is vaping:
“If people who vape today would’ve smoked otherwise, then vaping is clearly less harmful. But if they never would have smoked in the first place, then sustained vaping does pose a greater risk than not vaping at all.”
🌍 Global Context: Tobacco Elimination Saves Lives
Two additional studies published alongside this one in The Lancet Public Health added global perspective:
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One study concluded that accelerating tobacco control could boost global life expectancy and prevent millions of premature deaths by 2050.
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Another suggested that banning tobacco sales to those born between 2006–2010 could prevent 1.2 million deaths from lung cancer globally by 2095.
🛡️ UK Government Responds
In response, the UK Department of Health and Social Care emphasized:
“Vapes can be effective tools for adult smoking cessation, but should not be used by children or non-smokers. The upcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help protect future generations from the harms of nicotine and tobacco.”
