One million adults in England now vape despite never being regular smokers, a new health study suggests, as calls are heightened for tougher regulations on packaging and flavours. Before 2021, the proportion of not regular smokers who vaped in England was low, at an average of 0.5 per cent between 2016 and 2020, the findings published in Lancet Public Health showed.
But that rate increased to 3.5 per cent by April 2024, equating to about a million vapers. One in seven 18 to 24-year-olds who never regularly smoked now using e-cigarettes, the study suggests.
Although, despite an overall increase in people vaping since 2021, the researchers found the rise had levelled off since early 2023. Experts say that banning disposable vapes, as the UK Government currently plans , is not likely to fix the problem as some brands have already launched reusable products. Instead, they suggest, there should be stricter regulation around making the products look less appealing.
Senior author Professor Jamie Brown, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said: “These findings are a reminder that action is required to try to minimise vaping among young people who have never previously smoked. “However, a balancing act is required to avoid deterring smokers from using e-cigarettes to quit. “Banning disposables, as the UK Government currently plans, is unlikely to fix the issue as popular brands have already launched reusable products with very similar designs and prices.
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