1. Trends in electronic cigarette use in England
Robert West
Emma Beard
Jamie Brown
University College London
Updated 11th October 2018

2. Background
Electronic cigarette use has become prevalent in many countries
In England, electronic cigarettes are currently regulated as consumer products
It is important to track use of electronic cigarettes and assess how far they appear to be promoting or detracting from reduction in prevalence of cigarette smoking

3. Aims
To track use of electronic cigarettes over time and assess how far any increase is accompanied by changes in:
use of other aids to cessation or smoking reduction
key performance indicators for tobacco control
smoking prevalence
smoking cessation rates
attempts to stop smoking
success of attempts to stop smoking
To assess prevalence of use of electronic cigarettes in people who have never smoked regularly or stopped for more than a year
To estimate changes in the total tobacco and nicotine market

4. Methods Monthly household surveys
Each month involves a new representative sample of ~1800 respondents; smokers ~450
Data collected on electronic cigarettes since second quarter 2011
Fidler, et al., 'The smoking toolkit study': a national study of smoking and smoking cessation in England. BMC Public Health 11:479
For more info see

5. Prevalence of e-cigarette use
Use of e-cigarettes has remained stable since late 2013
N=99948 adults from Nov 2013

6. Nicotine use by never smokers and long-term ex-smokers
E-cigarette use by never smokers remains negligible but use among long-term ex-smokers has grown
N=80180 never and long-term ex-smokers from Nov 2013

7. Prevalence of electronic cigarette use: smokers and recent ex-smokers
E-cigarette use in smokers and recent ex-smokers has plateaued
N=30262 adults who smoke or who stopped in the past year

8. Proportion of e-cigarette and NRT users who are smokers
The majority of both e-cigarette and NRT users are ‘dual users’ (also smoke)
N=5234 e-cigarette users and N=2628 NRT users

9. Proportion of daily e-cigarette and NRT users who are smokers
A smaller proportion of both e-cigarette and NRT daily users are ‘dual users’ (also smoke)
N=3040 e-cigarette daily users and N=1070 NRT daily users of adults

10. Electronic cigarette use
N=3974 e-cigarette users not using NRT

11. Characteristics of the e-cigarette
N=1645 e-cigarette users who smoke or who stopped in the past year surveyed since Aug 16

12. E-liquid
N=1395 nicotine containing e-cigarette users who smoke or who stopped in the past year surveyed since Aug 16

13. Source
N=1645 e-cigarette users who smoke or who stopped in the past year surveyed since Aug 16

14. Electronic cigarette and NRT use across the age range in 2017
E-cigarette use is least popular with older smokers while NRT use is lower among younger smokers
N=3684 adults who smoke or who stopped in the past year and were surveyed in 2017

15. Electronic cigarette and NRT use in men and women in 2017
N=3684 adults who smoke or who stopped in the past year and were surveyed in 2017

16. Electronic cigarette and NRT use across the social gradient in 2017
There is no clear social gradient in use of e-cigarettes or NRT
N=3684 adults who smoke or who stopped in the past year and were surveyed in 2017

17. Use of nicotine products while smoking
E-cigarette use has plateaued among smokers
N=28233 smokers

18. Use of nicotine products in recent ex-smokers
E-cigarette use among recent ex-smokers has declined from a peak in 2016
N=2029 adults who stopped in the past year

19. Aids used in most recent quit attempt
E-cigarette use for quitting has declined from a peak in 2016
N=14289 adults who smoke and tried to stop or who stopped in the past year; method is
coded as any (not exclusive) use

20. Current e-cigarette use after quitting
The proportion of recent ex-smokers who started using an e-cigarette appears to be declining
N=1177 adults who stopped in the past year and did not report using an e-cigarette to help during the quit attempt

21. Take-up of smoking
Proportion of people aged years who have ever smoked regularly has slowly declined
N=23330 people aged 16-24

22. Prevalence of nicotine/cigarette use
N=99948 adults

23. Cigarette smoking prevalence
The long-term decline in the prevalence of cigarette smoking continues
Base: All adults
Graph shows prevalence estimate and upper and lower 95% confidence intervals

24. Stopped smoking in past 12 months
The smoking cessation rate increased from 2011
Base: Adults who smoked in the past year
Graph shows prevalence estimate and upper and lower 95% confidence intervals

25. Tried to stop smoking in past year
The rate at which smokers have tried to stop in the past year increased from 2011 but then decreased until 2016
Base: Adults who smoked in the past year
Graph shows prevalence estimate and upper and lower 95% confidence intervals

26. Success rate for stopping in those who tried
The success rate in those who have tried to stop smoking increased from 2011
Base: Smokers who tried to stop in the past year
Graph shows prevalence estimate and upper and lower 95% confidence intervals

27. Harm perceptions of e-cigarettes compared with cigarettes
A declining minority of current smokers believe e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes or are unsure. An increasing proportion believe they are equally harmful
N=14384 current smokers who do not currently use e-cigarettes

28. Conclusions Growth in e-cigarette use has slowed since 2013
Current use of e-cigarettes by never smokers remains very rare and similar to use of licensed nicotine products; use among long-term ex-smokers appears to be increasing
Growth in electronic cigarette use has been accompanied by a reduction in use of licensed nicotine products and prescription medication but the trajectories appear to be different
There has been a long-term decline in the prevalence of cigarette smoking since 2007
The trajectories for smoking prevalence and quit attempts differ from that of prevalence of use of e-cigarettes
Success rates in stopping smoking have increased since 2011