UK Smoking Rates Are at Their Lowest Level Ever, With Vaping Playing a Major Role.

Adult cigarette smokers accounted for 13.3% of the population in 2021, while adult vapers accounted for 7.7%.

According to the latest government data, smoking levels in the UK have fallen to 13.3%, the lowest since records began. This is because the UK Vape industry has played a ‘major role’ in the decline.

Smoking rates for 2021 have dropped from a previous low of 14.0% in 2020, which means there are approximately 6.6 million smokers in the UK, according to the latest statistics from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

What Does The ONS Say?

Based on projections from the Annual Population Survey, the ONS (Office of National Statistics) claimed that this was the lowest percentage of current smokers since records began in 2011.

The ONS data showed that Scotland had the highest smoking rate (14.8%), followed by Wales (14.1%), Northern Ireland (13.8%), and England (13.0%).

Vaping devices such as e-cigarettes have played a significant role in the decline in smoking rates in the UK, according to the report.

In Great Britain, 7.7% of Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) respondents, aged 16 and over, claimed they presently use an e-cigarette daily or occasionally," according to the ONS report, "Adult Smoking Habits in the UK: 2021.

UK Vaping Industry Association:

The Director General of UKVIA (UK Vaping Industry Association) stated, “This is piece of absolutely fantastic news, and I am delighted that the UK’s vaping industry is playing its part in making this happen.

The Director General said, "Vaping horror stories, which have no basis in reality, may be entertaining for mainstream media clicks, but they have grave repercussions when they encourage smokers to continue using cigarettes.

The UKVIA called for misinformation to be tackled effectively in our Blueprint for Better Regulation and we make this call again today because this will save lives.

Unfortunately, that won't happen unless the recent Javed Khan OBE, Barnardo's Chief Executive, and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire’s smoking review recommendations - which call for vaping to be a key component of a government smoke-free strategy - are implemented.

What will Happen Now?

The current momentum must now be capitalized on by reaching out to the 13.3% of adults who still smoke. This involves giving them the information they need to make the switch to vaping.

Government and public health bodies must make full use of the different communication methods available to them in order to encourage adult smokers to switch to e-cigarettes using agreed health claims.

The government, regulators, and health services should work together with the vape industry to provide smokers with evidence-based information so that they can make informed choices about switching to vaping.

According to organizations like Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), increases in e-cigarette (vape) usage among adults in Great Britain have been reported.

In the UK as a whole, 15.1% of men and 11.5% of women smoke, a trend that has been consistent since 2011.

The 25-34 age group had the highest proportion of current smokers (15.8%), while those aged 65 and older had the lowest percentage (8.0%).

People without qualifications were more likely to be current smokers (28.2%) than those whose highest level of education was a degree or equivalent (6.6%).

This is an increase from the prediction for 2020 when 6.4% of respondents reported using e-cigarettes daily or occasionally. It translates to about 4 million adults in the population.