UK hits vaping milestone, but smoke-free future is no guarantee

Asli Ertonguc, Area Director Western Europe | BAT UK

4 min read13 November 2025 Partner content

New data shows vaping has overtaken smoking in the UK, but a smoke-free future remains off track.

Last week marked a momentous milestone for the UK’s smoke-free ambitions. According to new ONS figures,¹ more adults now use vapes or e-cigarettes in the UK than those who smoke cigarettes.

This would not have been possible without the UK’s embrace of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) in the previous decade. Public health bodies such as the NHS have officially declared that “nicotine vapes are one of the most effective stop smoking aids”,² and schemes such as Swap to Stop have helped smokers switch cigarettes for vaping.

But now is not the time to celebrate. The latest figures show that almost five million smokers remain, and there is currently no evidence of the UK being on target to achieve smoke-free status by 2030 as originally envisioned. According to Cancer Research, this target may not even be met until 2039.³

So, despite the commendable progress, there are still lessons to be learned and pitfalls to avoid if we are to reach smoke-free.

At BAT UK, we know that not all smoke-free products are made equally, and some irresponsible actors do not hide their disregard for regulations.

This, however, makes it even more important that the government uses the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to find a balance that will restrict youth access while ensuring adult smokers have access to safe, high-quality, reduced-risk products that can help their transition away from cigarettes.

Encouragingly, I was pleased to see reports last week confirming the government’s intention to ban the sale of nicotine pouches to those under the age of 18.⁴ BAT UK has been calling for this measure for over four years. Like all nicotine products, we believe pouches are for adults only and should never be used by or sold to those who are underage.

However, when it comes to a cap on the nicotine per pouch, it seems the government is still taking too long to commit to a decision. Until a cap is introduced, products containing high levels of nicotine will remain available.

To add to these concerns, the media highlighted that there may potentially be an upcoming ban on “fruity” flavours for nicotine products. While no further light was shed on this potential measure, such a decision could be a big misstep in the government’s smoke-free ambitions.

BAT UK has been vocal in its support for a ban on candy and dessert flavours such as bubble gum and candyfloss. However, these flavours are very different to fruit flavours, which evidence suggests are a key driver in helping smokers transition away from cigarettes, as Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) data has previously shown.⁵

The number of smokers who think vaping is as harmful as or more harmful than smoking is increasing. According to ASH, this number has risen to 53 per cent,⁶ an increase of 14 per cent in the last two years. Therefore, the government’s proposed restriction on the advertising and communication of nicotine products is worrying.

If the five million smokers still left in the UK are to move away from cigarettes, they need to have confidence to access high-quality smokeless alternatives to aid this transition. Without being able to educate themselves on product availability through marketing communications, smokers may ultimately shy away from making the switch.

The government’s time and resources would be better spent educating smokers on tobacco harm reduction and giving them the confidence to explore reduced-risk choices. The latest ONS figures are a timely reminder of this.

Read the most recent article written by Asli Ertonguc, Area Director Western Europe - The UK is undermining its own smoke-free goal