Britain: Increase in consumption of high nicotine vaping products

A new study[1] A study by University College London (UCL) reveals that the number of vapers using high nicotine products (20mg/ml or more) has increased five-fold in just three years, from an average of 6.6 % in June 2021 to 33 % in January 2024 in Britain.

The study, carried out by researchers at UCL, looked at the results of a survey of 7,314 adult vapers in Britain to assess how the use of vapes with different nicotine strengths will change between 2021 and 2024.

In Britain, the maximum permitted nicotine level is 20mg/ml but the government has revealed that products sold across Britain are exceeding this limit.

A more pronounced increase among young adults and those who have never smoked

The authors first highlight that the proportion of people who reported not knowing the nicotine level of their e-cigarette increased from 6.3 % in 2021 to 15.1 % in January 2024, particularly among vapers using disposable and pod devices.

The proportion of vapers who reported using vaping products with a high nicotine content (≥20 mg/mL) increased from an average of 3.8 % in June 2021 and previous years to 32.5 % in January 2024. Over the same period, the proportion of vapers using nicotine-free products increased from an average of 11.5 % in June 2021 to 7.3 % in January 2024. Among users of high-dose products, the increase was particularly evident among young adults aged 18 to 24, according to the researchers. More than half of consumers in this age group - 53.1 % - consumed products with a nicotine content greater than or equal to 20 mg/ml, compared to only 3.9 % before the arrival of disposable devices in 2021.

Among vapers who have never smoked, the proportion of them using high-dose products increased from 6.1 % of consumers in 2021 to 46.9 % in 2024.

Overall, the increase in the proportion of individuals using higher-dose products has been observed since 2021 for all smoking statuses. It was lowest among long-term ex-smokers, increasing from an average of 3.2 % in June 2021 to 20.3 % in January 2024.

An increase driven by the arrival of disposable vaping devices

According to the authors, the use of high-nicotine vaping products in Great Britain appears to have increased sharply since the introduction of disposable vaping in 2021. The proportion of vapers consuming products containing ≥20 mg/ml nicotine was higher among those who primarily used these disposable devices (47.9 %) than pod (16.3 %) or refillable devices (11.5 %).

Disposable vapes are cheaper to buy than tobacco cigarettes and refillable e-cigarettes. One of the most popular brands among minors in Britain, Elf Bar 600, is available for sale online for £2.99 (€3.50) and in convenience stores and supermarkets for £5.99 (€7.00). This makes them very affordable for experimental use among young people.

The British government intends to ban disposable devices in the near future to protect young people. However, manufacturers are introducing reusable models onto the market that can be recharged electrically or by adding liquid a limited number of times. The design of these new products and their price are very similar to those of the popular disposable models, including in terms of nicotine content.

Tax e-liquids more heavily to protect young people

In March 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who is responsible for the state budget, announced that a new tax on vaping products would be introduced from October 2026 in order to make vaping less affordable for younger people. According to departmental documents, the tax on vaping products will be an excise duty levied on e-liquids contained in e-cigarettes, with higher levels of tax applied to e-liquids with a high nicotine content. A tax of £1 per 10ml would apply for e-liquids without nicotine, £2 per 10ml for e-liquids containing up to 10.9mg of nicotine per ml, and finally £3 per 10ml for e-liquids containing 11mg or more of nicotine per ml. The government's intention is to encourage consumers to reduce their nicotine consumption by switching to lower nicotine or nicotine-free options.

The announcement was met with skepticism by public health officials. Dr. Sarah Jackson, the study's lead author, said: "Current plans to tax high-nicotine vapes more heavily could make quitting smoking less affordable." For Deborah Arnott, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health and co-author of the study, “The best way to reduce underage vaping initiation is to make all vapes less appealing and increase their price at the point of sale, regardless of nicotine content.”

©Generation Without Tobacco

AE

[1] Jackson SE, Brown J, Shahab L, Arnott D, Bauld L, Cox S. Nicotine strength of e-liquids used by adult vapers in Great Britain: A population survey 2016 to 2024. Addiction. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16576