Majority of UK smokers wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as cigarettes, experts find
July 06, 2026 by theguardian.com
Majority of UK smokers wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as cigarettes, experts find
Most UK smokers now wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as, or more harmful than, cigarettes. That misunderstanding matters: if people cannot distinguish between combustible tobacco and lower-risk alternatives, they may be less likely to switch away from smoking. Vaping is not risk-free and should not be promoted to non-smokers, but misrepresenting relative risk protects cigarettes by default. Public health communication should be accurate enough to help smokers make better choices.
11.80% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 6.7 million current smokers in United Kingdom 13.60% of men are current smokers but only 10.10% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
