United Kingdom: Between 2022 and 2023, increase in attempts at vaping by young people and massive switch to disposable e-cigarettes

The NGO Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has just published the results of its survey on vaping in the United Kingdom and emphasizes the following facts: between 2022 and 2023, while the proportion of 11-17 year olds who smoke or vape is stable, on the other hand, the number of those who have tried electronic cigarettes has increased by 50%, and the percentage of young vapers using puffs has increased from 7.7 % in 2021 to 69 % in 2023.

The ASH survey analyses changes in tobacco and e-cigarette use among adults and 11-17 year olds in the UK since 2014, with a focus on reasons for e-cigarette use and perceptions among younger people.[1].

Conducted on a sample of 2,656 young British people, it reveals in particular that the percentage of young people aged 11 to 17 who have tried an electronic cigarette at least once in the past year has increased from 5.6% in 2014 to 7.7% in 2022 and 11.6% in 2023. Experimental consumption has therefore increased by 50% in just one year.

Increase in vaping among young people since 2014

The rate of regular vapers among 11-17 year-olds increased from 0.6% in 2014 to 3.1% in 2022 and 3.7% in 2023, while the sale of e-cigarettes to minors is illegal in the country.

The main reason given by young people to justify their use of e-cigarettes is "just to try" with 40% of the responses, then "to join other people who use them" with 19%, and "I like the flavors" with 14%. The reason "I'm trying to quit smoking" comes last with 1.5% of the responses.

The ASH study also presents the evolution of the regular smoking rate among 11-17 year olds, which increased from 4.7% in 2014, to 4.8% in 2022 and 3.6% in 2023. For the first time in 2021, the percentage of smokers (3.0%) falls below that of vapers (3.2%), and these respective rates are in 2023 3.6% and 7.6%. In 2023, 48% of 11-17 year olds who have tried an e-cigarette have never smoked tobacco in their life. On the other hand, 22% of them used an e-cigarette before trying a tobacco cigarette.

Disposable e-cigarettes are popular

Disposable e-cigarettes – or puffs – due to a marketing targeting towards younger people see their market share among young people increase from 7.7% in 2022 to 69% in 2023 despite their adverse environmental impact, to which young people seem to be relatively insensitive.

The percentage of 11-17 year-olds who are aware that they are the target of this marketing has increased significantly between 2022 and 2023, whether it is advertising at points of sale (32% vs 53%), online (24% vs 32%) and on posters (12% vs 14%). Among those exposed online, the following are cited in order as the predominant media: Tik Tok 49%, YouTube 29% and Instagram 28%. Tik Tok being the social network currently preferred by the youngest, it is becoming an essential tool for manufacturers to attract them to vaping.

Keywords: ASH, UK, young people, vaping, e-cigarettes, teenagers, puffs, smoking.

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[1] Headline results ASH Smokefree GB adults and youth survey results 2023, Action on Smoking and Health, 2023.