E-cigarette use has remained more common than cigarette smoking among adults in the UK for a second consecutive year, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Around 5.4 million people aged 16 and over in Great Britain used e-cigarettes either daily or occasionally in 2025, representing approximately 9.9% of the adult population. The figure was broadly unchanged from 2024, when 10% were recorded as users.
Vaping has nevertheless grown considerably over the longer term, rising from 6.4% of adults in 2020. Usage was highest among those aged 25 to 34, with 16.4% reporting daily or occasional e-cigarette use.
Cigarette smoking, meanwhile, continued its long-term decline. The ONS estimated that around 4.9 million people aged 18 and over were smokers in 2025, equivalent to 9.8% of the population, compared with 10.6% a year earlier.
Using another ONS measure covering adults aged 16 and over in Great Britain, 8.7% were current smokers — around 4.8 million people — compared with 9.9% who used e-cigarettes.
The decline in smoking has been particularly pronounced among younger adults. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, smoking prevalence fell from 25.7% in 2011 to 7.2% in 2025, a drop of 18.5 percentage points.
Adults aged 45 to 54 recorded the highest smoking rate in 2025 at 12.4%.
Overall, the figures indicate a continuing change in nicotine-use patterns, with traditional cigarette smoking becoming less common while vaping remains widespread.