Every year ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) publish the results of their annual survey on e-cigarette use among adults in Great Britain. This year’s fact sheet shows some really promising upward trends for vaping, suggesting increased uptake and a reduction in dual usage.
Use of e-cigarettes
In 2020 the use of e-cigarettes fell for the first time since 2012, this was following the unfortunate US outbreak of hospitalisations for lung disease which was falsely reported as being caused by vaping. Fortunately, as the correct information around this incident has been widely spread, uptake of e-cigarette use has increased for 2021 back to the figures seen in 2019. There are currently 3.6 million e-cigarette users in the UK, equating to 7.1% of the population. When asked about their reasons for using an e-cigarette, 60% of vaper's reported it was for health reasons, 51% said for pleasure, 51% for quality of life, and 50% said as a way of addressing their smoking addiction.
65%, or 2.4 million, of those who identify as vaper's are ex-smokers, having used an e-cigarette as either a tool to help them quit or to help maintain a previous successful stop smoking attempt. 30.5% identify as dual users, these are people who use both an e-cigarette and tobacco, as a way to decrease the amount they smoke. Over half of these dual users report using an e-cigarette daily, and those who report daily use smoke on average much less than those who vape less frequently.
While it is great that smokers are experimenting with using an e-cigarette to reduce their smoking rates, any amount of smoking is still very harmful. The rates of dual users is dropping year on year, but for those continuing to use both it is important to try and make the switch entirely to an e-cigarette as quickly as they are able.
A really positive figure we can see in this data is that the use of an e-cigarette among never smokers remains low. Never smokers who report regular e-cigarette use make up just 5% of all vaper’s, and just 0.7% of the population as a whole. This is important because, while smokers making the choice to switch to vaping are making the switch to a less harmful alternative, it is not recommended that those who have never smoked use an e-cigarette.
We continue to see wider awareness of e-cigarettes compared to when the surveys first started in 2012. In 2021, 95% of smokers had heard of e-cigarettes, and 93% of the population as a whole, as opposed to 49% of adults in 2012. This is an excellent sign, with the overwhelming majority of smokers being aware of e-cigarettes, it means that should they make the decision to make a stop smoking attempt, they are aware of the options available to assist in making it a successful attempt.
When asked about their vaping preferences, 77% reported using an open-tank style device, 18% use a pod system, and 2% use disposable devices. The main motivations for choosing their particular e-cigarette given were the hit of nicotine delivered, ease of use and price. It was found that for those using pod systems the accessibility of products in local shops was more important than those using an open-tank device. On average, e-cigarette users vape 3.6ml of e-liquid per day.
Attitudes to e-cigarettes
The three main reasons given by vaper’s for using an e-cigarette are to aid in a stop smoking attempt, to prevent relapse, and to cut down on the amount they smoke. This is testament to how well the UK has embraced e-cigarettes as a stop smoking aid, and not a new ‘fad’ or fashion item.
However, among smokers who have not tried e-cigarettes or have stopped using them, the most cited reason for not using an e-cigarette is not wanting to substitute one addiction for another. While e-cigarettes are used as an alternative nicotine delivery system, they do not contain the countless toxic substances that are released upon combustion of tobacco, and changing this perception is important. While the perception of harm, those who incorrectly believe e-cigarettes to be as harmful as smoking, has decreased to 32%, these misconceptions are still holding many smokers back from making the switch to vaping.
Public Health England has found e-cigarettes to be 95% less harmful than smoking, and the misconceptions about the safety of vaping relative to smoking has been cited time and time again as the most important focus for change. Combatting these misconceptions could help convince thousands of smokers to make the switch to a less harmful alternative.
We can only hope that these positive trends continue and that the recent support for vaping from public health authorities will help to turn the tide on the misinformation that has previously been spread by the media. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever that people prioritise their health and consider making a stop smoking attempt, and it is fantastic to see that so many people are successfully doing so with the help of an e-cigarette.
