Public Health England has released a report which notes that smoking rates in the United Kingdom continue to decline, and credits vaping with playing a strong role in that trend.
According to the report, smoking prevalence in England has fallen from a rate 5 years ago of 19.3 percent to 14.9 percent, leaving a smoking population of only 6.1 million in England.
Public Health England estimates that the number of vapers in England has plateaued at just under 2.5 million. Of these, 51 percent are estimated to have changed entirely from smoking to vaping, while 45 percent remain dual users of vapor products and tobacco products, but they are trying to switch completely to the vapor-only lifestyle which is less harmful. Additionally, Public Health England calculates that 770,000 have quit both smoking and vaping, giving up nicotine entirely.
Per the report:
“Overall, this suggests that there are:
• 600,000 smokers who vape with no plan to quit smoking;
• 600,000 who are vaping as a means to quit;
• 2 million vapers who have now quit smoking;
• and over three quarters of a million who have quit both.”
Besides, Public Health England has broken down the age demographics of English vapers, finding that the peak age ranges for vaping are 25-34 (7.8 percent) and 35-49 (7.5 percent). Compared to less than half a percent of vapers not having been smokers previously, nearly 1 in 8 ex-smokers vape now.
Resource: https://vapenews.com/vape-news/public-health-england-vaping-pushes-smoking-to-new-lows/
