Research from University College London shows that about a fifth of Britons who have quit smoking for more than a year are still using vapes, about 2.2 million, and vape use is high among young smokers.
According to the University College London News Network, a study by University College London shows that about one in five people who have quit smoking for more than a year are still using vapes, about 2.2 million people.
The study was funded by Cancer Research UK and published in BMC Medicine. Studies have shown that the rise in smoking rates is mainly caused by the widespread use of vapes to quit smoking. Vape use is also increasing among people who have quit smoking. It is estimated that one in 10 former smokers quit before vapes became popular in 2011, and some of them quit for years before they started using vapes.
The study looked at survey data from 54,251 adults (aged 18 +) in England between October 2013 and May 2024 who said they had quit smoking or were trying to quit.
Sarah Jackson said,
- “The widespread use of vapes among former smokers is consistent with what we would expect, as the use of vapes in smoking cessation attempts is increasing. NHS guidance is that people should not rush to stop using vapes after quitting, but should reduce the risk of relapse.”
- “Previous research has shown that a significant proportion of people who quit smoking with the help of vapes use vapes normally for months or years after they successfully quit.”
- “However, the increase in vape use among tar people who have quit smoking for years is a cause for concern.” If this group is likely to smoke again, then vapes are much less harmful, but if they don’t relapse, they will be at greater risk than if they don’t smoke or vape.”
In addition, the research team found that England regularly found that some of the 50 people in England who had quit smoking for more than a year had quit for more than a year. 1 People said they had smoked vapes, and by the end of 2017, people said they had smoked vapes, and that figure had steadily risen to 1 in 10. This number remained stable for a few years. The prevalence of single-use vapes each year begins to increase sharply in 2021 and will reach one in five (estimated to be one in five) 2.2 million people by 2024.
Vape use has also increased among smokers. In 2013, 27% of smokers, including those who quit smoking, used vapes, and in 2024, 2000, this proportion rose to 41%.
In May 2024, 59% of former smokers aged 18 reported using vapes after quitting for more than a year, compared to 11% of former smokers aged 65.
According to senior author Lion Shahab,
- “The implications of these findings are still unclear. Long-term use of vapes may increase a smoker’s risk of returning to smoking because they behave similarly to smoking and maintain a nicotine addiction. Or it might reduce the risk of returning to smoking, allowing people to satisfy their tar cravings through vapes rather than seeking out particularly harmful tobacco. Further, longitudinal studies are needed to assess which option is more likely.”
