How Britain's ditched cigarettes and turned to vapes: Record-low one in EIGHT ... trends now
Cigarette smoking has fallen to its lowest level since records began a decade ago, official figures suggest.
Just one in eight adults in Britain smoked in 2021, down by five per cent on last year and a fraction of the nearly 50 per cent during the 1970s, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Meanwhile, 4million over-16s now use e-cigarettes — up by a fifth in just 12 months.
Statisticians said the decline in cigarette smokers 'may be partly attributed to the increase in vaping and e-cigarette use'.
Just one in eight adults in Britain were frequent users in 2021, down by five per cent on last year, according to the Office for National Statistics' Annual Population Survey (blue line). Meanwhile, 4million over-16s now use e-cigarettes — up by a fifth in just 12 months (red line)
Statisticians said the decline in cigarette smokers 'may be partly attributed to the increase in vaping and e-cigarette use'
Smoking was most prevalent among 25 to 34-year-olds (15.8 per cent) and least common among the over-65s (8 per cent)
The ONS data shows North Lanarkshire (24.3 per cent), Burnley (21.2 per cent) and Fenland (27.8 per cent) have some of the highest smoking rates in the UK
There were also disparities in the smoking uptake between the least educated (28.2 per cent) and those with the most qualifications (6.6 per cent)
Data from the ONS shows 13.3 per cent of over-18s in the UK smoked cigarettes in 2021 — around 6.6million people.
The rate has been in freefall for decades.
Around 45 per cent of people smoked in the 1970s. The figure had fallen to 20 per in 2011 before hitting 14 per cent in 2020.
In 2021, the highest uptake was in Scotland (14.8 per cent), followed by Wales (14.1 per cent), Northern Ireland (13.8 per cent) and England (13 per cent).
The Government's tobacco control plan aims to reduce smoking prevalence among adults in England to 12 per cent or less by the end of 2022.
The ONS data shows that men (15.1 per cent) were more likely to smoke than women (11.5 per cent).
Smoking was most prevalent among 25 to 34-year-olds (15.8 per cent) and least common among the over-65s (8 per cent).
There were also disparities between the least educated (28.2 per cent) and those with the most qualifications (6.6 per cent).
Meanwhile, 7.7 per cent of over-16s reported using e-cigarettes daily or occasionally when surveyed last August and September.
The figure is up from 6.4 per cent in 2020.
The ONS said that vaping devices such as e-cigarettes had played a 'major role' in reducing the prevalence of smoking across the UK.
It added that the proportion of vapers was highest among current cigarette smokers (25.3 per cent) and ex-cigarette smokers (15.0 per cent).
Only 1.5 per cent of those who have never smoked reported currently using a vape.
But it added that policies to limit smoking, such as increased public awareness campaigns and smoke free places, may have also contributed to the decline.
James Tucker, data and analysis expert for the ONS social care and health division, said: 'The decrease in the proportion of current smokers may be partly attributed to the increase in vaping and e-cigarette use.
'Data from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) have shown regular use of a vaping device has increased in 2021 and the highest usage was among those aged 16 to 24 years.'
Hazel Cheeseman, deputy chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: 'Smoking is still the biggest cause of preventable illness and death so the progress shown today is great news.
'But Government must not be complacent.'
She called on the Government to publish a plan detailing how they will meet their goal for England to be smoke-free — with fewer than 5 per cent of people smoking — by 2030.
Professor Jamie Brown, director of the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group at University College London, said: 'Today's figures are good news but our own
