One million people who have never smoked are now vaping

More than a million people who have never tried a cigarette are now vaping, new figures suggest. 

People in the 25 to 34 age group are the most likely to vape, overtaking those aged 16 to 24, data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on people aged 16 and over shows.

The 25-34 age group was the only one to see a rise in e-cigarette use, increasing from 12.9% in 2024 to 16.4% in 2025.

Daily or occasional vaping is still higher than the proportion of people smoking cigarettes - 5.4 million, or 9.9%, versus 4.8 million (8.7%).

Almost three-quarters (74.1%) of people who had ever smoked regularly said they had quit in 2025, the data shows. Half (51.7%) of current smokers said they planned to quit.

Among ex-smokers, one in five (20.7%) were e-cigarette users, similar to 2024, while a third of current smokers (33.8%) also used e-cigarettes daily or occasionally.

David Mais, from the ONS, said: "Fewer than one in 10 adults now smoke. This is the lowest proportion on record and continues the long-term decline in smoking.

"At the same time, e-cigarette use remains more common than smoking and has followed an overall upward trend since 2020.

"E-cigarette users are also getting older, with those aged 25 to 34 now overtaking 16 to 24-year-olds as the age group most likely to use them.

"This may reflect existing users getting older, growing popularity among this age group, or a combination of both."

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Men were more likely to smoke than women in the UK in 2025, a trend seen in previous years.

Around 2.8 million men (11.3%) and about 2.1 million women (8.2%) are thought to be smokers.

The largest reduction in smoking prevalence between 2011 and 2025 was among those aged 18 to 24, from 25.7% to 7.2%.

According to the survey, in the UK in 2025, the percentage of current smokers was: 9.5% in England, 11.1% in Wales, 11.4% in Scotland, and 9.9% in Northern Ireland.

Smoking prevalence dropped in all four nations between 2024 and 2025.

(c) Sky News 2026: One million people who have never smoked are now vaping