How many people who never smoked are now vaping, and is vaping safer than smoking?

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1. 1

   One million UK people who have never smoked are now vaping

   BBC NewsPublished Oct 6, 2026Checked Oct 11, 2026

   “Latest statistics also show, for the second year in a row, more over-16s vape than smoke.”

2. 2

   Prevalence and correlates of e-cigarette use among older adults aged 60 years and over.

   European geriatric medicine (Adebisi et al.)Published Jun 29, 2026Checked Oct 11, 2026

   “Prevalence remained broadly stable across survey years, ranging from 2.16% (95% CI: 1.43-3.25) in 2021 to 5.55% (95% CI: 4.43-6.93) in 2023. E-cigarette use was overwhelmingly concentrated among those with a smoking history: current smokers (adjusted OR 18.78, 95% CI: 11.79-29.92, p ConclusionsE-cigarette use among Scottish older adults was low but non-trivial and was strongly patterned by smoking history. The concentration of use among current and former smokers suggests that e-cigarette use in this age group occurs mainly among people with prior exposure to combustible tobacco, although the cross-sectional design cannot determine whether use reflects cessation, substitution, experimentation, or persistent dual use. The steep age gradient, deprivation patterning, and association with poorer self-rated health highlight the need for age-sensitive clinical counselling and balanced risk communication in older adults.”

3. 3

   Associations of exclusive e-cigarette use and dual use of e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes with prevalent and incident hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

   American journal of preventive cardiology (Adebisi et al.)Published Jul 24, 2026Checked Oct 11, 2026

   “Three non-overlapping longitudinal cohorts contributed to the primary incident analyses, with reported follow-up ranging from 3.7 to 6.0 years. For incident hypertension, the estimate for exclusive e-cigarette use also included the null (HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.83-1.64; I² = 64.3%), whereas dual use was associated with a higher risk of incident hypertension (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.03-1.76; I² = 77.3%). In separate secondary analyses, cigarette-only smoking was associated with prevalent hypertension (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.10-1.41) and incident hypertension (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.15-1.25). Certainty of evidence was very low because of risk of bias, heterogeneity, and imprecision.ConclusionsNo statistically clear association was observed between exclusive e-cigarette use and prevalent or incident hypertension; however, the very low-certainty and imprecise evidence does not exclude a potentially important association. Dual use was associated with higher odds of prevalent hypertension and a higher risk of incident hypertension, although causal interpretation is limited by observational study designs, heterogeneity, residual confounding, and exposure misclassification.”

4. 4

   Electronic cigarette (Wikipedia)

   WikipediaPublished Oct 10, 2026Checked Oct 11, 2026

   “An electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or vape is a device that simulates tobacco smoking. It consists of an atomizer, a power source such as a battery, and a container such as a cartridge or tank. Instead of smoke, the user inhales vapor, often called "vaping". The atomizer is a heating element that vaporizes a liquid solution called e-liquid that cools into an aerosol of tiny droplets, vapor and air. The vapor mainly comprises propylene glycol or glycerin, usually with nicotine and flavoring. Its exact composition varies, and depends on matters such as user behavior. E-cigarettes are activated by taking a puff or pressing a button. Some look like traditional cigarettes, and most kinds are reusable. Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but still has health risks, particularly for those with asthma. Limited evidence indicates that e-cigarettes are less addictive than smoking, with slower nicotine absorption rates. E-cigarettes containing nicotine are more effective than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for smoking cessation, but have not been tested as rigorously as nicotine replacement therapy products.”