
New research has revealed that the dual use of vape products and cigarettes is on the rise, with over one in 20 adults in England both smoking and vaping.
Funded by Cancer Research UK, the University College London (UCL) study analysed survey data from 2016-2024. The researchers found that the number of people using both vapes and cigarettes increased sharply from 3.5% to 5.2%. This amounts to a rise from one in 30 people to one in 20.
The sharpest increase took place in 2021 when e-cigarettes first became popular. In addition, the increase was greatest for young adults, with two thirds of 18- to 24-year-olds now both smoking and vaping – a significant increase from just one in five in 2016.
The UCL researchers also identified a notable shift in habits of dual users. Those who smoke daily but don’t vape daily have more than halved from 32% to 15%, and those who vape daily but don’t smoke daily have more than doubled from 8% to 22%. The researchers believe this may be due to the increase of young adult dual users, who are more likely to vape frequently.
Dual use ‘not necessarily bad’
Dr Sarah Jackson, from the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, is the lead author of the study. She said: ‘Dual use of vapes and cigarettes is often a transitional state as people seek to quit smoking or reduce their smoking. Therefore, it is not necessarily bad for people’s health over the long term, if it helps people move away from smoking.
‘In our study, we found a shift in the behaviour of dual users away from more frequent smoking to more frequent vaping. This may be good news, as dual users can reduce the harm they are exposed to by vaping more and smoking less.
‘However, it is important that people quit smoking completely to get the full health benefits.’
Alizée Froguel is Cancer Research UK’s prevention policy manager. She said: ‘Tobacco causes around 160 cases of cancer every day in the UK. If you smoke, the best thing you can do for your health is to stop completely.
‘Research shows that legal vapes are far less harmful than tobacco and can help people quit for good. While it’s important that they’re accessible to people trying to stop smoking, they shouldn’t fall into the hands of children or be used by people who have never smoked.
‘To help end cancers caused by tobacco, the government must provide sustained funding for stop smoking services.’
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