Smoking rates amongst people aged 18 and over have fallen to 10.6%, the lowest proportion since records began.
The figures, published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), revealed that 5.3m adults in the UK smoked in 2024, or 10.6% of the population, a drop from 11.1% in 2023. The proportion of current smokers has fallen by 9.6 percentage points since 2011 (20.2% of the population).
The research also found that those aged 25 to 34 years continued to have the highest proportion of current smokers (12.6%) in the UK in 2024 while those aged 18 to 24 years have had the largest reduction in smoking prevalence (17.6 percentage points) between 2011 (25.7%) and 2024 (8.1%).
E-cigarettes take over
The ONS research revealed that around 5.4 million adults aged 16 years and over (10.0%) currently use an e-cigarette daily or occasionally in Great Britain in 2024; overtaking around 4.9 million current smokers (9.1%) for the first time in 2024.
E-cigarette use remained highest among people aged 16 to 24 years in Great Britain, with 13.0% using e-cigarettes either daily or occasionally, although this is a decrease from 2023 (15.8%). However, daily e-cigarette use was highest among people aged 25 to 34 years and 35 to 49 years in Great Britain (9.3% and 9.5%, respectively), and has increased among both age groups from 2023.
Commenting on the research, Simon Clark, director of the smokers’ rights group Forest, said: “Smoking rates have been falling for decades, largely because people have been educated about the health risks. More recently, products such as vapes and nicotine pouches have provided reduced risk alternatives to cigarettes, encouraging millions of smokers to switch and quit voluntarily.
“In contrast, there is no evidence that anti-smoking measures such as smoking bans, plain packaging, or the ban on menthol cigarettes have been significant factors in reducing smoking rates.”
Clark warned against raising the age of sale of tobacco to drive smoking rates lower.
“A generational ban on the sale of tobacco could stall or even reverse the long-term decline in smoking rates,” he said. “Far from achieving the government’s ambition of a smoke-free Britain, prohibiting the sale of tobacco to future generations of adults will fuel the black market and could encourage more people to smoke as a form of soft rebellion.”
Operations director at VPZ | The Vaping Specialist, Jamie Starchan, said: “These latest figures show a historic shift in the UK’s smoking habits - with more adults now using e-cigarettes than smoking traditional tobacco for the first time. This milestone is a clear sign that vaping is continuing to play a vital role in helping millions of people across the country move away from cigarettes.
“The significant reduction in smoking prevalence, particularly among younger adults, demonstrates the positive public health impact of vaping when used responsibly and supported by the right education and regulation. However, the data also highlights the need for continued action to ensure that vaping remains focused on adult smokers looking to quit.
“VPZ continues to call for a robust licensing framework for vape retailers to ensure that products are sold responsibly, only to adults, and with clear, accurate information about their role in smoking cessation.”
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