More data from Britain confirms that the number of traditional cigarette smokers in the last few years in UK has dropped significantly due to the advent of vaping. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows that the number of traditional cigarette smoking adults in the UK has dropped from 20.1% in 2010 to 17.2% in 2015, the lowest number since recording smoking figures started in 1974. The highest number of smokers has been observed in Scotland at 19.1%, followed by Northern Ireland, where it is 19%, Wales at 18.1% and England at 16.9%. Smoking rates have been dropping fastest in Scotland and Wales.
This data also shows that 2.3 million people, about 4% of the population in England, Scotland and Wales used vaping products. In line with what earlier studies have shown, this study has found that many smokers turn to vaping for smoking cessation. Half of the 2.3 million vapers recorded said that they used e-cigarettes to quit smoking, while a further 22% said they were vaping because it was safer than smoking. And 10% of the vapers recorded said that they used the products because they were cheaper than traditional cigarettes or because vaping is permitted indoors.
These figures suggest that as many public health advocates believe, vaping holds a good opportunity for smoking cessation. Contrary to claims by some that vaping may act as a gateway to smoking, this data confirms that vaping can help to quit smoking.
