3.6m of us now vape as smoking hits record low

But experts warn e-cigs kill our cells

MORE Britons are vaping than ever before as growing numbers of smokers quit tobacco for e- cigarettes, a study found.

The figure of 3.6million users – a rise of 12.5 per cent in a year – means around seven per cent of the population vapes, compared with 15 per cent who smoke.

More than half of vapers are ex-smokers, the poll discovered, with around 31 per cent of exsmokers saying their main reason for vaping was to help them quit tobacco – despite recent health fears over e-cigs.

Vaping is most popular among those aged 35 to 44, with 9.5 per cent using e-cigs, and among 45 to 54-year-olds at 9.3 per cent.

The lowest rates were found among 18 to 24-year-olds at 4.3 per cent, and the over-55s at 5.6 per cent.

Deborah Arnott, of the antismoking charity Ash, which commissioned the poll of more than 12,000 adults, said: ‘Although e-cigarettes are now the most popular quitting aid, our survey finds that in 2019 over a third of smokers have still never tried vaping.

‘As Stoptober kicks off, we’d encourage smokers who haven’t done so yet, to give vaping a try. E-cigarettes have been shown to be a very effective aid for smokers trying to quit, either on their own or with help from stop smoking services.’

She said recent reports in the US of illnesses linked to vaping were ‘obviously concerning’, but appeared to be linked to the misuse of e- cigarettes to take illicit drugs.

‘Nothing like this has been seen in the UK to date, where a proper regulatory system is in place for nicotine-containing eit’s cigarettes, which is not yet the case in the US,’ she said. ‘Vapers should not be scared back to smoking by the news of vaping illness in the US.

‘Nor should smokers stick to smoking rather than switch to vaping.’

Ann McNeill, professor of tobacco addiction at King’s College London, was the lead author of independent evidence reviews of e-cigarettes for Public Health England which found smoking is 95 per cent more dangerous than vaping. She said: ‘Vaping isn’t risk free, but much less risky than smoking, which kills nearly 100,000 people a year in the UK.’

Smoking in Britain is at the lowest levels on record. In July, the Government unveiled a target for all smokers to quit or switch to e-cigarettes by 2030.

Regulators in the US are examining a number of cases where vapers have been found to have oil-like substances in their lungs.

Several deaths have been reported while more than 450 cases of a lung disease linked to vaping are being investigated.

Supermarket chain Walmart has also said it will stop selling e-cigarettes at its stores.

The concerns come as an Australian study suggested fumes from e-cigarettes are toxic and can kill cells lining the airways.

Scientists at Adelaide University found fumes from three types of apple-flavoured vaping liquid could destroy bronchial epithelial cells, which are important for keeping the lungs and airways clean.

The researchers also discovered the vapour could interfere with the immune system, in particular by damaging white blood cells. They concluded that e- cigarettes should no longer be considered a safe alternative to tobacco.

‘Obviously concerning’