UK ONS: The Number Of Vapers In The UK Has Risen To The Highest Level Ever

According to data released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the number of vapers in the UK has risen to the highest level ever, while the number of British adults using cigarettes has fallen below 14% for the first time.

The UK National Bureau of Statistics released its annual report on the prevalence of smoking in the UK, which includes data on the number of adults who use e-cigarettes.

In 2014, when data on the number of vapers in the UK was collected, 3.7% of the population was reported using e-cigarettes. By 2020, this proportion has risen to 6.4%, which is equivalent to about 3.3 million people.

The report also shows that the current number of adult smokers in the UK accounts for 13.8% of the total population, which is the lowest percentage since at least 2015.

However, according to monthly data from the National Bureau of Statistics, during the COVID-19 pandemic and the national lockdown, the smoking rate rose sharply, reaching a peak of 16.3% in August, and then slowly falling to 13.8% at the end of 2020.

John Dunn, director general of the British Electronic Cigarette Industry Association, analyzed that although the increase in smoking rates during the lockdown period may be due to the increased anxiety caused by the new crown pandemic, he also wanted to point out the fact that e-cigarette specialty stores are not granted basic retail, which is an important factor.

John Dunn said that it’s a very welcome announcement, because everyone who supports harm reduction knows that e-cigarettes are much less harmful than cigarettes. According to data from the former health protection watchdog Public Health Agency of England, electronic cigarettes are 95% less harmful than cigarettes. Thus more and more people use e-cigarettes and reduce use of cigarettes.

The National Bureau of Statistics report on smoking prevalence emphasizes that the number of former smokers using e-cigarettes has risen from 11.7% in 2019 to 12.3%, while the number of smokers using e-cigarettes at the same time-thus reducing their exposure to combustible tobacco The harm caused-from 15.5% in 2019 to 17.8% in 2020.

John Dunn said that what these figures tell me is that powerful anti-e-cigarette lobbying groups try to discredit the effectiveness of e-cigarettes in helping people quit smoking, but they simply don’t work.

On the other hand, e-cigarette advocates have scientific and political will, and more and more health care departments support more use of e-cigarettes to help smokers completely quit their habit. This momentum has finally eliminated nonsense and misinformation about e-cigarettes, giving consumers the confidence to take key steps to transition from cigarettes to e-cigarettes.