Advocates welcomed new data showing record-high e-cigarette use in the UK, despite the plague of anti-vaping ‘smear’ campaigns and misinformation.
“What these figures tell me is that the powerful anti-vaping lobby’s best attempts to smear e-cigarettes’ effectiveness are simply not working.”
Vaping in the UK has reached record-breaking new heights, while cigarette-use has plummeted to the lowest rates in years, say experts.
New figures from the Office of National Statistics revealed that the nation’s e-cigarette use skyrocketed over the past six years, with more than three million people currently using the reduced risk alternative.
It showed that the number of UK smokers turned vapers had jumped from 11.7 percent to 12.3 percent, while the country’s number of dual users increased by more than two percent.
Advocates called the data a testament to the vigilant efforts of dedicated pro-vaping campaigners, who fight tirelessly to promote the lifesaving public health prize.
John Dunne of the UKVIA said: “What these figures tell me is that the powerful anti-vaping lobby’s best attempts to smear e-cigarettes’ effectiveness are simply not working.
“Vaping advocates, on the other hand, have the science, political will and, increasingly, the healthcare sector’s support for increased use of vaping to help smokers give up their habits for good.”
The ONS ‘Smoking Prevalence in the UK’ report also revealed that the number of adult smokers had fallen below 14 percent for the first time since 2015.
It highlighted that, while cigarette-use spiked to 16.3 percent during the pandemic, rates eventually dropped down to an optimistic 13.8 percent.
The UK Vaping Industry Association Director General said that, while the brief increase in smoking could be pinned to ‘pandemic anxieties’, the fact that many vape retailers were forced to close their doors could also be a ‘significant contributing factor’.
He added that the boost in vaping rates and dramatic drop in cigarette use was ‘cause to celebrate’.
John Dunne said: “This is a hugely welcome announcement as everyone on the side of harm reduction knows that vaping is far less harmful than smoking.
“This momentum is at long last cutting through the nonsense and misinformation about vaping to give consumers the confidence they need to take that crucial step towards transitioning away from smoking combustible tobacco.”
