More than 1 million people in Great Britain now vape despite never having been regular smokers, according to Office for National Statistics data. The proportion of vapers with no smoking history has nearly doubled in four years, a trend health experts call concerning.
About 5.4 million people aged 16 and above across England, Scotland and Wales vape daily or occasionally in 2025, representing 9.9% of the population. Vaping rates peak among those aged 25-34, where 16.4% use e-cigarettes.
The ONS figures show a significant shift in who uses vaping products. Previously, e-cigarettes were primarily adopted by people trying to quit smoking. The new data reveals that a growing share of vapers never had a regular smoking habit, suggesting e-cigarettes are attracting users who would not otherwise consume nicotine products.
Health experts have expressed concern about this trend, though the source material does not detail their specific concerns or recommendations.