More than 1.1 million people who never smoked now vape in the UK

More than 1.1 million people in the UK who say they have never smoked now vape, according to Office for National Statistics data cited by BBC News. The figure has risen year on year, as former smokers and health experts warn that some non-smokers are developing a dependence on nicotine. [1]

Gracey Mungulu, 21, says she initially disliked vaping but started at 16 after it became common among her classmates. She now buys a refillable vape every day and says she reaches for it when she feels socially anxious. “The more you see it, the more you start trying it a bit more,” she said.

Others described vaping becoming part of everyday routines. Malin Andersson, who says she quit in May, linked her habit to a stressful break-up and scrolling on her phone. Alex, a 26-year-old from Manchester who did not give her surname, said she began vaping on nights out and eventually used it while working at home.

The NHS says nicotine is highly addictive and vaping is less harmful than smoking, but the long-term effects are not yet clear. GP Helen Wall told the BBC that some patients describe vaping as a psychological way to regulate their emotions.

The reasons for the rise, and its effect on smoking, are not straightforward. Professor Sarah Jackson of University College London said some people who vape might otherwise have taken up smoking, while others may be exposed to risks they would have avoided. She cited research finding nicotine use had risen among young adults in England even as cigarette smoking fell.

The ONS figures cited by the BBC put the number of vapers aged 16 and over in Britain at about 5.4 million, while 4.9 million adults in the UK smoke. Those figures do not establish how many people began vaping instead of smoking.

Hazel Cheeseman of Action on Smoking and Health said prominent marketing may have contributed to some people vaping who otherwise would not. The government has consulted on measures concerning vape marketing, including colours and flavours. Disposable vapes, identified as a key driver of youth vaping, were banned last year.

For those trying to stop, the NHS suggests gradually reducing nicotine strength, leaving longer between sessions or switching to suitable nicotine replacement therapy. But support is uneven: a recent survey cited by the BBC found that 45% of healthcare providers in England offered help to quit vaping.

Quitting can also have unintended consequences. Alex told the BBC that after stopping vaping while travelling, she began smoking cigarettes for the first time. The NHS advises people to stop smoking and does not recommend cigarettes as a way to quit vaping.