The ONS reports that over a million individuals in the United Kingdom who have never smoked are now vaping, based on the latest available statistics. The data indicates a notable rise in the number of non-smokers using e-cigarettes during 2025.
This change fits into a wider movement. Now, for two years running, a larger share of people aged 16 and older in Great Britain use vapes or e-cigarettes than smoke cigarettes. According to the ONS data, the share of people who had never used an e-cigarette kept falling in 2025, dropping slightly from 83.4% in 2024.
The age gap
The age group most likely to take up vaping has shifted upwards. Those aged 25 to 34 now vape more than any other demographic, having surpassed 16 to 24-year-olds. The ONS reports that 16.4% of adults in that age bracket use e-cigarettes on a daily or occasional basis.
The younger generation has come to represent vaping, and Hazel Cheeseman, from the charity Action on Smoking and Health, said the most recent numbers show promising progress in reducing smoking rates.
She also said: “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.”
The older vaper
ONS data shows vapers are growing older. David Mais, from the ONS, confirmed that vaping users are aging and that “may reflect existing users getting older, growing popularity among this age group, or a combination of both.”.
Across the data, the decline in smoking among UK adults remains clear. Nearly one in 10 adults now smoke, which works out to about 4.9 million people, a reduction from the 5.3 million recorded in 2024.
What the NHS says
Vaping is less harmful than smoking, although the long-term effects are not yet clear, says the NHS. It says non-smokers and people aged 17 and under should never vape.
Kruti Shrotri of Cancer Research UK shared a similar perspective. She noted that the ongoing decline in smoking rates is welcome news, yet tobacco still ranks as the main cause of cancer in the UK. So far, evidence indicates that legal vapes are less harmful than tobacco and can serve as an effective tool for quitting smoking.
The law coming in
New legislation in the UK, taking effect in the new year, will permanently ban the legal sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. The aim is to create a “smoke-free” generation.
The shift comes after a long period of falling smoking rates. Among all age groups, young adults aged 18 to 24 years have shown the biggest decrease in smoking.
Key facts
- More than a million UK people who have never smoked are now vaping
- Vapers outnumber smokers: 5.4 million vs 4.9 million adults
- 16.4% of 25 to 34-year-olds use e-cigarettes daily or occasionally
- Smokers fell from 5.3 million to 4.9 million between 2024 and 2025
- Half of current smokers said they intend to quit
- 7.2% of people reported having used an e-cigarette, up from 6.6% in 2024
Comparing the two groups
| Measure | Vapers (2025) | Smokers (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Number of adults | 5.4 million | 4.9 million |
| Age group most active | 25 to 34 | 45 to 54 |
| Intent to quit | Not stated | Half said yes |
| Ban status | None proposed | Tobacco sale banned from Jan 1, 2009 births |
The contrast is plain to see: vapers are younger and more resolved to stop, while their numbers keep rising. Smokers, by contrast, are older, and their ranks are falling.
What this means
The pattern shows a split: vaping is on the rise while smoking is on the decline, and the gap between the two is widening along age lines.
It remains to be seen whether the change endures. According to the ONS data, the share of individuals who had never used an e-cigarette kept falling from 2024 (83.4%) to 2025 (83.0%).
This law is meant to extend an existing pattern of decline in smoking. It does so by prohibiting the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2009. The goal is to stop young people from starting to smoke.
Whether that approach succeeds hinges on how vaping fares over time. The health consequences of vaping over a long period remain unknown, and the NHS has issued warnings: non-smokers and those under 17 should never vape.
There are reasons to be optimistic. Smoking rates have dropped sharply over the past few decades, and the most recent numbers confirm that decline is still happening. What remains unknown is whether the UK can bring the reduction to a close.
Are you a vaper who has never smoked?
Source material: “One million UK people who have never smoked are now vaping,” the BBC.
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