Smoking Rates Among Young Adults in UK Drop Significantly

New official smoking statistics published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS)¹ reveal that smoking rates in the UK continue to decline, with the most rapid progress seen among the youngest age groups. The overall smoking rate stands at 11.6%, the lowest on record, equating to 6.0 million adult smokers in the UK.

Young adults aged 18-24 have experienced the most significant drop in smoking rates over the last decade, falling from 25.7% in 2011 to just 9.8% in 2023. This encouraging news comes as the Labour government plans to table their version of the Conservative’s plans to phase out the sale of tobacco to the next generation, ensuring that those born before 2009 will never legally be sold tobacco products.

Disparities Persist Among Disadvantaged Groups

Despite the overall progress, smoking rates remain highest among more disadvantaged groups, leading to significant inequalities in life expectancy and reduced income. Those in ‘routine and manual’ jobs have smoking rates 2.6 times higher than those in managerial positions.

Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), emphasized the country’s readiness to become smokefree and called for the government to bring forward the bill to end the sale of tobacco as soon as possible, given the cross-party support for the measure.

Vaping Rates Increase, but Concerns Remain

The ONS data also tracks rates of vaping, using a different survey that covers the Great Britain population. Overall, vaping rates have increased from 8.7% in 2022 to 9.8% in 2023. The highest levels of vaping are among 16-24-year-olds at 15.8%, although this has not increased compared to 2022. However, the ONS reports a doubling of the proportion of people who have never smoked but vape daily, from 0.6% to 1.2%.

Prof Nick Hopkinson, respiratory physician and chair of ASH, acknowledged the role of vaping in helping millions of adults quit smoking, emphasizing that it is much less harmful than smoking. However, he expressed concern over the high levels of use among young people and the growing use among never smokers.

Hopkinson urged the government to pass the Tobacco and Vapes Bill² into law as soon as possible to provide a robust regulatory framework for controlling the marketing and sale of e-cigarettes. He stressed the need to reinforce the role of vaping as a tool to stop smoking rather than a lifestyle accessory.

Links：

Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2023 – https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/healthandlifeexpectancies/bulletins/adultsmokinghabitsingreatbritain/2023 ↩︎
THE KING’S SPEECH 2024: Tobacco and Vapes Bill – https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6697f5c10808eaf43b50d18e/The_King_s_Speech_2024_background_briefing_notes.pdf#page=81 ↩︎

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Matthew Ma

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With over a decade of experience in the e-cigarette industry, Matthew Ma is a seasoned expert in both the manufacturing and usage aspects of vaping products. His extensive background has provided him with a deep understanding of the intricacies and evolving dynamics of e-cigarettes.