// BBC HEALTH NEWS — SALUTE
One million UK people who have never smoked are now vaping
1.1 million of those who have never smoked, or ever smoked regularly, say they vape daily or occasionally
More than a million people who say they have never tried a cigarette are now vapers, latest UK data for 2025 reveals, external - up from around 940,000 in 2024.
People aged 25-34 are vaping more than any others, overtaking 16 to 24-year-olds, with 16.4% using e-cigarettes daily or occasionally.
For the second year in a row, more over-16s are using vapes or e-cigarettes than smoking cigarettes, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Meanwhile, the number of smokers in the UK continues to fall to nearly one in 10 adults, or 4.9 million people, down from 5.3 million in 2024, with more over-16s now vaping than smoking at 5.4 million.
Experts say the popularity of cigarette smoking has decreased as the harmful effects of tobacco have encouraged many to quit.
Vaping is less harmful than smoking, although the long-term effects are not yet clear, says the NHS.
It says non-smokers and people aged 17 and under should never vape.
The ONS figures show the percentage of people who had never used an e-cigarette continued to decrease in 2025 (83.0%) compared with 2024 (83.4%).
Twenty-five to 34-year-olds are now more likely to use vapes than 16 to 24-year-olds.