A record 4.5million Brits now vape
A RECORD 4.5 million Britons are now vapers, official data shows.
The proportion of us puffing e-cigs every day rose to 8.7 per cent last year from 7.7 per cent in 2021, the Office for National Statistics says.
Campaigners warned of a worrying trend as 15.5 per cent of under-25s now enjoy one every day.
Deborah Arnott, of Action on Smoking and Health, called for a government crackdown on child-friendly vape branding.
She said: “It should put products out of sight and out of reach in shops, as well as a tax on the pocket money-priced disposable vapes most popular with children.”
The vaping surge comes as the ONS says the number of tobacco users is down to 6.4 million, the lowest on record.
Vapes are seen as healthier than cigarettes as they do not contain cancer-causing chemicals.
But little is known about their long-term effects, while countless studies have shown they are not without risk.
The ONS figures show the biggest rise in vape use is among women under 25.
And the proportion of non-tobacco smokers who vape is up by 60 per cent.
The e-cigs industry argues increased use in children is down to rogue sellers who ignore the law stating buyers must be 18 or over.