The proportion of adults in the UK who use e-cigarettes has increased to 8.3% this year

According to the latest report of the ASH (Smoking and Health Initiative), the proportion of adults in the UK who use electronic cigarettes this year has increased to 8.3%, the highest proportion ever, reaching 4.3 million people in the UK. In 2012, this figure was only 700000.

The report found that most of the current electronic cigarette users are former smokers (57%), which will peak at 64% in 2021. At present, only 1.3% of never smokers are e-cigarette users, accounting for 8.1% of e-cigarette users.

The report also emphasizes that the proportion of adult smokers who have never tried electronic cigarettes will continue to decline slowly, and will drop to 28% by 2022. At present, the proportion of smokers using electronic cigarettes will increase from 2021 (17%) to 2022 (22%).

As in previous years, the main reason given by former smokers for using electronic cigarettes was to help them quit smoking (29%). The second most common reason is to prevent recurrence (19%), the third reason is that they like this experience (14%), and the fourth reason is to save money (11%).

The main reasons given by current smokers for using electronic cigarettes are to reduce smoking (17%), save money (16%), try to help them quit smoking (14%) and prevent relapse (13%).

It is worth noting that the most common type of electronic cigarette in the UK is still open refillable equipment. At present, 65% of electronic cigarette users say that open electronic cigarette is their main equipment.

The cartridge changing electronic cigarette and disposable electronic cigarette are the main equipment types of 17% and 15% of electronic cigarette users respectively.