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Sharp rise in vaping among young adult non-smokers
The number of adults in England to have started vaping despite never having been regular smokers has reached one million, scientists estimate.
This is a sharp increase on 2020, with disposable vapes having been available since 2021.
The rise is driven mostly by young adults - with about one out of every seven 18-24-year-olds who never regularly smoked now using e-cigarettes.
While some may have benefited by taking up vapes instead of traditional cigarettes - the trend could be worrying, experts say.
Researchers looked at surveys of about 150,000 adults in England between 2016 and 2024.
Respondents agreeing with the statement: “I have never been a smoker - i.e. smoked for a year or more," were counted as "never regular smokers".
And between 2016 and 2020, only 0.5% of these vaped.
But by April 2024, this had risen to 3.5%, with more than half aged between 18 and 24.
The study, published in the journal Lancet Public Health, external journal and funded by charity Cancer Research UK, also found overall vaping figures among adults were levelling off.
Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of campaign group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) said the findings could be a cause for concern and suggested focusing on reducing the appeal of vapes would be the best way to limit the use of vapes in non-smokers.
"The aggressive marketing of products to young people means the government urgently needs to bring back the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, to regulate vape flavours, marketing and branding," she said.
Source: BBC News, 3 October 2024
See also: The Lancet - Vaping among adults in England who have never regularly smoked: a population-based study, 2016–24 | ONS – Adult smoking habits in the UK: 2023
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Is vaping bad for you and how are the rules changing?
Using e-cigarettes or vapes is nowhere near as harmful as smoking cigarettes.
However, health experts agree anyone who does not smoke should not start vaping.
The vapour inhaled contains a small amount of chemicals, often including the addictive substance nicotine.
More research is needed to fully understand the health effects of e-cigarettes.
Cigarettes contain tobacco, tar and a host of cancer-causing toxic chemicals and are the largest preventable cause of illness and death in the UK.
About half of all lifelong smokers will die early, losing on average about 10 years of life.
That is why people who smoke are urged to stop, with nicotine vapes the most effective quit tool - better than nicotine patches or gum.
Research suggests people having face-to-face support while using vapes can be up to twice as likely to stop smoking than those using other methods.
But vaping is not harmless, so it is only recommended for adult smokers, who are offered free vape kits on the NHS to help them quit as part of its "swap to stop" programme.
The NHS says thousands of people have given up smoking using vaping as an alternative.
Fewer than one out of every 10 young adults in the UK smoke cigarettes, compared with a quarter of 18-24-year-olds 12 years ago, according to official estimates.
As smoking has declined, vape use has risen, with the highest rate - nearly 16% - among 16-24-year-olds.
But since 2022, the biggest increase has been among 25-34-year-olds.
About 5.1 million people in the country used a vape or e-cigarette in 2023. Just under 6% of people aged 16 or over vaped every day, up slightly from the previous year, while another 3.9% did so occasionally.
It is illegal to sell vapes containing nicotine to under-18s, or for adults to buy them on their behalf.
But vape use among younger teenagers is also growing.
Nearly 8% of 11-17-year-olds vaped in April 2023, according to figures from an online survey of 2,000 children by health charity ASH (Action on Smoking and Health). That was up from 4% in 2020.
As part of its plans to create a smoke-free generation, the previous, Conservative government announced changes to the rules around vapes.
However, the Conservative Tobacco and Vapes Bill had not become law before Parliament was dissolved ahead of the July general election.
Labour had previously backed the proposals and, once in government, said it would introduce its own Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
Setting out its policy priorities, in the King's Speech, in July 2024, it said the bill would:
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Introduce a progressive smoking ban to gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the country
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Stop vapes being branded and advertised to appeal to children, regulating the flavours, packaging and display of vapes and other nicotine products
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Give Trading Standards more power to prevent under-age sales of tobacco and vapes.
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Opinion: ‘If you don’t smoke, don’t vape’ message is getting lost. Does it matter?
Writing for The Grocer, George Nott, technology editor, discusses the growing prevalence of vaping in the UK, highlighting its effectiveness as a smoking cessation tool. Nott discusses how medical experts and health authorities have promoted vaping as a safer alternative to smoking. Nott outlines how nicotine itself, while addictive, is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases, making vaping a safer method of nicotine consumption compared to traditional tobacco products. Nott emphasises, however, that public health messaging also warns that non-smokers should avoid vaping altogether.
Nott discusses, how despite these warnings, recent research shows a sharp increase in the number of non-smokers in England who have taken up vaping, with around one million non-smoking adults now vaping daily. This trend has raised concerns, though Nott highlights how some experts argue that vaping may be preventing people from picking up more harmful habits like smoking. The rising visibility of vaping, combined with increased accessibility and media coverage, has contributed to the current surge in use.
Nott emphasises the communication challenge health authorities face in promoting vaping as a smoking alternative while discouraging non-smokers from taking it up. Especially given that the misunderstanding surrounding vaping’s relative harm persists, with many smokers believing vaping is just as dangerous as smoking which may lead to ex-smokers returning to tobacco. Nott concludes by arguing that the need for clearer public health messaging is urgent to prevent the relapse of ex-smokers and the increase in non-smokers turning to vaping.
Source: The Grocer, 3 October 2024
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Ireland: New tax on vapes and cost of most popular cigarette brands to hit €18.05
Vaping is set to become more expensive from the middle of next year with the introduction of a new tax on e-cigarettes.
Meanwhile, a pack of 20 cigarettes will cost an extra €1 from Wednesday after a further increase in excise duty.
The new tax on e-liquids in electronic vaping devices is the latest in a series of measures aimed at discouraging the use of vapes, particularly among young people.
It will mean that the price of a typical disposable vape costing €8 will increase to €9.23 including VAT.
The new tax is expected to raise €7 million next year and €17 million in a full year.
A ban on the sale of vaping products and e-cigarettes to people under 18 years of age previously came into effect last year.
The Irish Government is also working on legislation to ban the sale of disposable vapes on environmental and public health grounds.
This new law is also expected to prohibit the sale of e-liquid flavours that appeal to children and there is to be a ban on point-of-sale advertising displays in shops other than specialised outlets that only sell vapes.
Source: The Irish Times, 1 October 2024
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More than one million lung cancer deaths preventable globally if tobacco banned, new study shows
The simulation study using historical data from 82 countries including Australia and New Zealand, suggests that banning the purchase of tobacco products for people born between 2006 and 2010 could prevent almost half of future lung cancer deaths in men and a third in women by 2095.
An estimated 11,500 deaths could be prevented across Australia and New Zealand, the study found.
The findings have led the co-author of the study - University of Otago professor Richard Edwards - to call for the Government to take another look at the Smokefree legislation it repealed this year.
In 2021, the previous government set out a Smokefree action plan. It planned for a completely smokefree New Zealand by 2025, and would create a “smokefree generation” by limiting the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after January 1, 2009. It also planned to remove 95% of nicotine from cigarettes.
The action plan was repealed under urgency by Parliament earlier this year.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced this week a new smokefree plan was in the works.
Source: The Press, 3 October 2024
See also: The Lancet - Estimated impact of a tobacco-elimination strategy on lung-cancer mortality in 185 countries: a population-based birth-cohort simulation study
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New Zealand: Casey Costello releases 'independent' advice on heated tobacco
The Associate Health Minister Casey Costello's "independent advice" on heated tobacco products is five articles that are either about different products, outdated, or only offer weak support for her view.
The five documents are not decisive on the benefits of the products.
They include:
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A 190-page report from Royal College of Physicians in the UK, published in 2016 that does not specifically mention heated tobacco products (HTPs)
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An article from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) in 2022, suggesting HTPs may help with smoking cessation, but the benefits are reduced if HTPs are used as a replacement for less-harmful vaping, and warns it could encourage non-smokers to use tobacco or lead former smokers to relapse
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A 2016 article (IJERPH) indicating the use of a different tobacco product, Snus, 'appears to facilitate' smoking cessation in Sweden
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A 2020 article (IJERPH) about smoking patterns in Japan - where nicotine vaping is not used - showing cigarette sales decreased after the introduction of Heated Tobacco Products
The final article was a comment piece published in the Lancet.
A more recent report from the Royal College of Physicians also says the tobacco industry's claims heated tobacco products are less harmful than cigarettes is "not yet supported by independent evidence".
The 2022 article also highlights that while substantial research has been devoted to nicotine vaping products, "much less is known about HTPs".
"Better information is needed to more precisely define the health risks of HTPs compared to cigarettes and NVPs, the relative appeal of HTPs to consumers, and the likelihood of later transitioning to smoking or quitting all products," it states.
Costello gave preference to this independent advice over a long list of problems the Treasury had identified with the proposal to go ahead with a 50 percent excise tax cut for HTPs, at a cost of up to $216 million.
On Monday Radio New Zealand revealed Treasury officials had told Costello that tobacco company Philip Morris would be the biggest winner from tax cuts for the products, which they said were toxic and more harmful than vaping.
Source: Radio New Zealand, 3 October 2024
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Blog: IPPR Polluter Pays levy
This blog post is part of the IPPR’s future-facing tax blog series, written by guest writer Mark Lloyd, economic policy specialist and former ministerial advisor. The blog post, titled ‘A ‘polluter pays’ industry levy could help our food become healthier’, argues that without addressing obesity and putting in place an unhealthy food levy, the UK cannot address its productivity problems and secure the future of the NHS.
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Podcast: Let’s talk e-cigarettes
In this episode, presenters Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Professor Benjamin Toll, Co-Director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program, and Chief of Tobacco Cessation and Health Behaviours at the Hollings Cancer Center, and Director of the Tobacco Treatment Program at the Medical University of South Carolina about his work and interventions to help people to quit vaping.
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Video: Tobacco detection dogs Yoyo and Scamp are awarded the PDSA Order of Merit Medal
Two tobacco sniffer dogs, Yoyo and Scamp, have been awarded PDSA's Order of Merit Medal in recognition of 10 years of distinguished service.
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ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.
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