UK Vaping Statistics 2026: 5.5 Million Vapers — and One Dangerous Myth (New ASH Data)

Last updated: 11 July 2026

5.5 million adults in Great Britain now vape — 10.3% of the adult population — and for the first time that's within touching distance of the 11% who smoke. Those are the headline numbers from ASH's July 2026 Smokefree GB survey (13,259 adults), the most authoritative annual snapshot of UK vaping there is. But the most important statistic in the report isn't about who vapes. It's about what people believe: 54% of adults now think vaping is as harmful as smoking or worse — the most inaccurate the public's understanding has ever been. Here's the full picture, sourced and explained.

How many people vape in the UK in 2026?

• 10.3% of GB adults vape — roughly 5.5 million people (ASH, July 2026).
• 11% of GB adults smoke — down from 13%, where it had sat from 2021 to 2025. Vaping and smoking prevalence have nearly converged.
• Vaping grew from just 1.7% in 2012 to 10.3% in 2026 — but growth slowed sharply after 2024. The market has plateaued, across every age group.
• Among 18–24s, trying vaping rose (32% → 39% this year) but current use hasn't moved — stable at 11% since 2021.

That plateau matters. The explosive growth years (2020–2024) coincided with disposables; since the June 2025 disposable ban, the market has shifted to reusable kits without adding new vapers — which is roughly what regulation was meant to achieve.

Who actually vapes?

• 60% of current vapers are ex-smokers — the single biggest group, and growing again (up from 53% in 2024).
• Among ex-smokers who quit smoking in the last five years using a vape, 67% still vape and 32% have since quit vaping too.
• About one in five ex-smokers (19%) currently vapes.
• 28% of current smokers have never even tried a vape — the group with the most to gain, and as you'll see below, the group with the most inaccurate beliefs.

ASH notes its findings match the Smoking Toolkit Study: vapes remain the most popular quitting aid in England, with population quit rates clearly tracking vaping prevalence. That's the evidence base behind the NHS-backed Swap to Stop scheme.

The dangerous myth: 54% think vaping is as bad as smoking

The report's bleakest finding. In 2026:

• 54% of all adults believe vaping is as harmful as, or more harmful than, smoking. Only 29% correctly believe it's less harmful (23% "less", just 6% "a lot less").
• Among smokers — the people the answer matters most for — 52% hold the same false belief. Among smokers who've never tried vaping it climbs to 61%.
• Back in 2016–2019, only about one in four adults got this wrong. Misperceptions have risen every year since 2022 and are now, in ASH's words, as inaccurate as at any point since the survey began.

The facts haven't changed: vaping is not risk-free, but the NHS, NICE and every major UK health body are unambiguous that it is far less harmful than smoking — we walked through the actual evidence in our NHS-evidence explainer. What's changed is the noise: years of youth-vaping headlines that never distinguish vaping's risks from smoking's. ASH links the perception collapse directly to that coverage. The human cost is measurable — a smoker who believes vaping is "just as bad" has no reason to switch, and 25% of smokers told ASH their main barrier was fear of swapping one addiction for another, with another 20% citing safety concerns.

The stat that convinces switchers

Buried in the motivations data: 63% of ex-smokers who vape say vaping is as satisfying — or more satisfying — than smoking was. The single most common reason ex-smokers gave for vaping was quitting smoking (24%). If you're one of the 28% of smokers who's never tried it, that satisfaction number is the one to take seriously — start with our guide for former smokers or the 2026 definitive rankings.

All the key 2026 numbers in one table

• Adults who vape: 10.3% (~5.5 million)
• Adults who smoke: 11%
• Vapers who are ex-smokers: 60%
• Ex-smokers (quit ≤5 yrs via vape) still vaping: 67%
• Adults wrongly believing vaping ≥ smoking harm: 54%
• Smokers holding that false belief: 52% (61% if never vaped)
• Ex-smoker vapers finding vaping as/more satisfying: 63%
• Survey base: 13,259 GB adults, ASH Smokefree GB 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people vape in the UK in 2026?

An estimated 5.5 million adults in Great Britain currently vape — 10.3% of the adult population, per ASH's July 2026 Smokefree GB survey of 13,259 adults.

Do more people vape or smoke in the UK?

Smoking is still slightly ahead: 11% of adults smoke versus 10.3% who vape. But the gap has nearly closed — smoking fell from 13% this year while vaping plateaued.

Is vaping still growing in the UK?

No — growth has plateaued. Prevalence rose from 1.7% in 2012 to 10.4% in 2024, and has been flat since (10.3% in 2026), across all age groups.

Is vaping as harmful as smoking?

No. The NHS, NICE and ASH are clear that while vaping is not risk-free, it is far less harmful than smoking. Despite this, 54% of UK adults now wrongly believe vaping is as harmful or worse — a record level of misperception.

Are most vapers ex-smokers?

Yes — 60% of current vapers are ex-smokers, and vapes remain the most popular quit-smoking aid in England. Among people who quit smoking with a vape in the last five years, 32% have since quit vaping as well.

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