Smoking rate has fallen to a new record low in the UK, but the goverment approach to vaping, which has been instrumental in reducing the smoking rate, risks undermining that progress, a leading trade body has warned.
Around 4.9 million people aged 18 years and over (9.8 per cent of the population) smoked cigarettes in the UK in 2025, according to the lates ONS figures, which shows that smoking rates has fallen to a new record low, down from 10.6% in 2024 and 20.2% in 2011.
This is a decrease from 2024 (10.6%), which follows a long-term downward trend.
The proportion of current smokers has fallen by 10.4 percentage points since this data time series began in 2011 (20.2%), based on ONS estimates from the Annual Population Survey (APS).
In Great Britain, around 5.4 million adults aged 16 years and over (9.9%) used an e-cigarette daily or occasionally in 2025, based on the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN).
While the number and percentage of adults using e-cigarettes has remained similar to 2024 (5.4 million and 10.0%), overall there has been an upward trend in the proportion of e-cigarette users since 2020 (6.4%).
With 5.4 million current e-cigarette users and 4.8 million current smokers, the percentage of current e-cigarette users continued to be higher than current smokers in 2025, which continuation of the trend seen in 2024, when e-cigarette use overtook cigarette smoking for the first time.
The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has welcomed new Office for National Statistics data but has warned that the government’s current approach to vaping – which has been instrumental in helping millions of adults reduce completely stop smoking – risks undermining progress made in reducing the smoking rate.
Responding to the new data, UKVIA Director General John Dunne, said, “The latest ONS figures show just how far Britain has come in tackling smoking, with rates once again at a record low and vaping playing an undeniable role in driving that progress – which makes the Government’s current approach to vaping all the more baffling.
“At the same time that vaping is helping millions of adults move away from or stay off cigarettes, a growing list of policies and proposals risk making vapes harder to choose and less accessible for the very people who rely on them. Not least the new Vaping Products Duty, which came into force this month and will see the cost of vaping products increase by as much as 264%.
“Our survey of almost 3,500 adult vapers showed 50% feared the duty could send them back to smoking or to the black market, while analysis from the Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates it could see 946,000 vapers and dual users switch exclusively to smoking and create £306.6m in additional healthcare and productivity costs.
“No young person or never-smoker should be using vaping products, and the industry backs meaningful action against illegal sellers, but that should not come at the expense of adult smokers, vapers and the legitimate sector supporting their smokefree journeys.
“That’s why we’re calling on Government to commit to a Fair Deal for Vaping, one which protects young people, cracks down on rogue retailers and preserves the public health power of vaping – including a proportionate approach on packaging, advertising and display, protecting vital flavours and an urgent review of the VPD rate.
“This should be a moment to celebrate Britain’s progress on smoking. Instead, we are having to fight to protect one of the tools that has been instrumental in helping make that progress possible.”