UK e-cigarette smoking habits

With the UK Government announcing a ban on single-use vapes in January 2024, we were curious to find out how this change has affected vaping trends and attitudes across the country. Our research looked at why people vape, their concerns about the ban, and how they might adapt to further regulations, such as flavour restrictions and tax increases. With this in mind, we surveyed 750 vapers aged 18 and over following the ban announcement.

The results showed that e-cigarettes are on the rise in the UK, with 50% of respondents saying they had vaped for 1 to 3 years, compared to less than 5% for 6 to 10 years. In addition, nearly 70% enjoyed daily or more frequent e-cigarette sessions.

Interestingly, while reusable e-cigarettes are still preferred by more than half of e-cigarette users, 30% of respondents only use disposable e-cigarettes.

A vape company owner – named Harris Tanvir in the UK shared that:

How old are e-cigarette smokers in the UK?

15% of e-cigarette smokers we surveyed were in the 18-24 age group and more than 30% were in the 25-34 age group. This shows that there are quite a few young people who like to smoke e-cigarettes.

As the legal age to vape in the UK is 18, we did not survey anyone under this age.

Why do British people smoke e-cigarettes?

The NHS found that, although they are unlikely to be completely harmless, e-cigarettes are significantly less dangerous than conventional cigarettes. This is perhaps why, when asked why they initially started using e-cigarettes, the main reason was to stop smoking – this was cited by 45% of our survey respondents. Interestingly,
when asked why they still vape today, this motivation remains strong, with nearly 25% of respondents using e-cigarettes to stop smoking.

Another important factor motivating people to use e-cigarettes is saving money, with nearly 15% citing this as the main reason.

And the facts back it up: a typical pack of 20 cigarettes in the UK could cost you £15.26 by January 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics. When you break that down, there are around 10 puffs in a cigarette, meaning each puff costs around 10p. Now contrast that with disposable e-cigarettes, which provide around 600 puffs for just £5, and £0.01 per puff. That means cigarettes are around 10 times more expensive per puff than disposable e-cigarettes.
The desire to save money remains a big factor, with 15% of respondents still citing it as the main reason they vape today.

Nearly 15% said they started vaping to socialise and because their friends were doing so. Harris Tanvir, co-founder of UK ECIG STORE, shed light on this trend, particularly highlighting its impact on vapers with no smoking history:

“The social pressures that originally influenced people to start smoking still exist today. In some ways, the popularity of social media only adds to this pressure to fit in, especially for young people.”

That’s why retailers need to step up enforcement of non-compliance with age verification rules. This will ensure that age-restricted products, including e-cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol, are not sold to people who are not suitable for them.”

UK thoughts on single-use ban

When asked about changing their e-cigarette use in the next year, nearly 30% of respondents said they had no plans to change, while 15% intended to increase their e-cigarette use.

Several factors may be driving this trend, one of which is the high cost of cigarettes. As cigarette prices rise, e-cigarettes have emerged as an attractive, cost-effective alternative.

Plus, as new and exciting options continue to emerge, e-cigarette smokers are drawn to the thrill of trying different flavors and devices.

With the ban on disposable e-cigarettes, what is the UK concerned about?

20% of our survey respondents said if they couldn’t access e-cigarettes, they would go back to smoking traditional cigarettes.

Harris Tanvir shares his views on this issue:

“If the UK Government is concerned about the health of young people, it would make more sense to tackle tobacco imports. Public Health England found that smoking is 95% more harmful than e-cigarettes, but there are still a number of ways to import tobacco products into the UK.”

Imported cigarettes may not undergo the same quality control measures and health warnings as cigarettes sold through official channels, posing greater risks to public health.

Harris continued: “The e-cigarette industry was born out of people wanting to quit smoking, and we still believe in that goal. The ban could jeopardise the Government’s goal of a smoke-free UK by 2030 because it takes away some of the essential tools people use to quit. People who lose access to their favourite e-cigarettes could return to smoking.”

“Some people find the different components and features of traditional e-cigarettes challenging. Removing the disposable e-cigarette option for these groups may only make it harder for them to quit.”

“Banning the product rarely solves the problem. Instead, disposable e-cigarettes may flood the black market or continue to be sold in locations that do not comply with current regulations. To stop youth vaping, we need stricter inspections of sellers and robust age verification measures.”

“Currently, disposable e-cigarettes are sold on every high street and some retailers are not following these important age verification procedures. That is why a ban is unlikely to stop this and could encourage consumers to buy unregulated and unsafe products.”

The cost of vaping is rising

More than 20% of people are concerned about the increased cost of vaping following the ban on disposable e-cigarettes, according to our survey.

The UK government is set to follow in the footsteps of other European countries such as Italy and Germany by introducing a tax on e-cigarettes. The move is aimed at restricting access to e-cigarettes for under-18s. However, the proposed tax, which is expected to be announced in the March 2024 Budget, could increase the price by at least 25%, despite concerns it could drive people back to smoking.

However, our survey found that more than 40% of respondents would continue to vape even if additional taxes were imposed.

The loss of vape flavor

The UK government, along with Scotland and Wales, is considering restrictions on e-cigarette flavours. The reason behind the decision is the concern that fruity and sweet flavours could appeal to young consumers and encourage them to start vaping. However, the authorities want to strike a balance, as a study by London’s South Bank University found that flavoured e-cigarette products can help adults quit smoking.

Our survey supports this, as more than 20% of e-cigarette smokers said they would return to smoking cigarettes, pushing people in the opposite direction.

Additionally, the effectiveness of flavor restrictions may be questionable, as our data suggests that it only deters slightly more than 35% of people from vaping. More than 30% would continue to use unflavored e-cigarettes and liquids regardless.

How to quit smoking

The most important statistic from the survey was that more than 40% of current e-cigarette users would switch to smoking conventional cigarettes or return to smoking conventional cigarettes if a ban were put in place.

Here’s Harris’ advice on how you can quit smoking:

“In early 2019, his company was a supply partner for a three-year study with Queen Mary University that found e-cigarettes were twice as likely to help smokers quit than traditional Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT).” ”

However, if e-cigarettes aren’t the route you want to take, purchasing NRT from your local pharmacy or over-the-counter would be a step in the right direction. Either way, tracking your progress will help keep you on track and allow you to celebrate milestones along the way.”

Why not try writing down why you want to quit smoking? This will serve as a powerful reminder of your motivation. Surrounding yourself with a supportive network of friends, family, or online communities can also provide encouragement and accountability on your journey to quitting smoking.