Use of e-cigarettes (vapes) among young

people in Great Britain

July 2022

Summary of key findings

The evolving youth use of e-cigarettes in Britain is monitored using the ASH Smokefree GB survey of 11-18
year olds 2013-2022 (see Appendix 2 for methodology), in the context of changes in tobacco use and the
regulation of e-cigarettes (see Appendix 1). We present the results for 11-17 year olds separately from 18
year olds. It is an offence to sell e-cigarettes to children under 18 in the United Kingdom.

USE AND AWARENESS OF E-CIGARETTES

• A large majority of 11-17 year olds have never tried or are unaware of e-cigarettes (83.8%).
• In 2022, 15.8% of 11-17 year olds had tried vaping, compared to 11.2% in 2021 and 13.9% in 2020.
• In 2022, 7.0% of 11-17 year olds were current users, compared to 3.3% in 2021 and 4.1% in 2020.
• Children under 16 are least likely to try e-cigarettes. 10.4% of 11-15 year olds have tried vaping, compared
to 29.1% of 16-17 year olds. Among 18 year olds 40.8% report having tried an e-cigarette.
• Use among 11-17 year olds who have never smoked remains low and largely experimental, while 7.5%
of never smokers have tried an e-cigarette in 2022 only 1.7% report at least monthly use.

ATTITUDES TOWARDS VAPING

• Reasons for using e-cigarettes differ between children who smoke and those who haven’t. While children
who haven’t smoked are significantly more likely to report their main reason for using one was ‘just to give
it a try’ (65.4%) among those who smoke they are significantly more likely to report that they ‘enjoy the
experience’ (17.5%) are ‘trying to quit smoking’ (10.7%) or are ‘addicted to them’ (10.3%).
• The misperception that e-cigarettes are more than or equally harmful as tobacco cigarettes rose from
2013 onwards and in 2022 was 40.9%, the same as in 2020. Only 42.1% of 11-17 year olds in 2022
believed that e-cigarettes were less harmful than cigarettes.

MAIN SOURCE AND TYPE OF PRODUCT USED

• In 2022 for the first time the most frequently used product was a disposable vape (52.0% compared to
7.7% in 2021), with the most popular brands by far being Elf Bar and Geek Bar.
• The main source for both cigarettes and e-cigarettes is shops. 51.9% of 11-17 year olds get their cigarettes
from shops and 46.5% get their e-cigarettes from shops.

In conclusion, use of e-cigarettes has increased in 2022 compared to 2021. However, use among never
smokers remains low and mostly experimental. Likelihood of trying or currently using e-cigarettes increases
with age and smoking status. The big increase in the use of disposable products has happened concurrently
with higher levels of youth use, although the survey is cross sectional and so does not prove this is causal in
either direction. Continued surveillance is needed.

1
Introduction
Unless otherwise specified the data are from the ASH smokefree GB survey of 11-17 year olds 2013-2022
(for methodology see Appendix 2). For more information on adult vaping see our fact sheet on adult use.1
For a summary of regulations on e-cigarettes see Appendix 1.

Awareness of e-cigarettes is high but regular use

remains very low
Awareness of e-cigarettes amongst young people has risen significantly from 2013 when 64% of 11-17 year
olds were aware of e-cigarettes to 2015 when it reached 91%. It has remained at a similar level since then:
in 2022 the rate of awareness of e-cigarettes in young people was 90%.

Figure 1. Use of e-cigarettes by GB youth (11-17), 2013-2022

100% 95.8% 92.9%
87.8% 89.8% 88.2%
90% 86.0% 85.7% 85.8% 85.4% 83.8%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20% 13.3% 13.7% 13.9% 15.8%
11.5% 13.2% 11.2%
9.9%
6.9%
10% 3.8%
0.4% 0.2% 0.7% 0.4% 0.7% 0.6% 1.0% 0.8% 0.6% 0.5%
0%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Ever use of e-cigarettes Never use of e-cigarettes No response

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Surveys, 2013-2022. Unweighted base: All 11-17 year olds (2013 = 1,895, 2014 = 1,817, 2015 = 1,834,
2016 = 1,735, ,2017 = 2,151, 2018 = 1,807, 2019 = 1,982, 2020 = 2,029, 2021 = 2,109, 2022 = 2,111).

A large majority of 11-17 year olds have never tried e-cigarettes (83.8%). In 2022, 15.8% of 11-17 year olds
had tried vaping, compared to 11.3% in 2021 and 13.9% in 2020. Data collection for 2020 was mainly prior to
the first lockdown while data collection in 2021 followed almost a year of the pandemic, as we were beginning
to emerge from the third lockdown. Lower levels of vaping in 2021 may therefore be associated with the
impact of the pandemic on young people’s lives.

Regular use of e-cigarettes has significantly increased, although it continues to be low in young people
aged 11-17 overall. In 2022, 3.1% of respondents reported regular use of e-cigarettes (more than once a
week) and 3.9% reported occasional use (less than once a week). Most use among 11-17 year olds remains
experimental (tried an e-cigarette one or twice); just under half of all use among 11-17 year olds falls into this
category.

2
Figure 2. Level of use of e-cigarettes, GB youth (11-17), 2014-2022
12%
11%
10.0%
10% 9.3% 9.0%
9% 7.7% 8.0% 8.1%
8% 7.7%
7.2%
7%
6%
5.6%
5% 3.9%
4% 2.9%
2.4%
3% 2.0% 3.1%
1.7% 1.7% 1.6%
2% 1.3%
0.8% 1.5% 1.5% 1.7%
1.3%
1% 0.8% 1.5%1.1% 1.7%
0.6% 0.5% 1.1%
0% 0.6% 0.7% 0.8%
0.0% 0.0%
2014 2015 0.0% 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Tried an ecigarette once or twice Used to use e-cigarettes but no longer do

Occasional use (less than once a week) Regular use (more than once a week)

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Surveys, 2013-2022. Unweighted base: 11-17 year old respondents who said they have tried an
e-cigarette (2014=118, 2015=210, 2016=168, 2017=279, 2018=254, 2019=301, 2020=327, 2021=266, 2022=390).

Regular use of e-cigarettes remains rare in young never

smokers
Use of e-cigarettes remains largely confined to current or former smokers. The overwhelming majority, 92.2%
in total, of 11-17 year old never smokers have either never used an e-cigarette (83.9%) or are not aware of
them (8.2%). (Figure 3)

Of 11-17 year old never smokers, 7.5% have ever tried an e-cigarette that includes 5.6% who have tried
e-cigarettes once or twice, 0.9% use them less than weekly, and 0.5% use e-cigarettes more than once a
week.

Current use of e-cigarettes among 11-17 year olds is considerably higher among current smokers (55.4%)
than former smokers (29.7%).

Figure 3. Use of e-cigarettes by tobacco smoking status, GB youth (11-17), 2022

7.1%
I used e-cigarettes in the past
3.7%
but no longer do
0.4%
30.5%
I use them more than once a week 11.1%
0.5%
24.9%
I use them less than weekly 18.6%
0.9%
12.7%
I have only tried an e-cigarette
24.7%
once or twice
5.6%
23.7%
I have never used them/
41.6%
unaware of e-cigarettes
92.2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Current smoker Former smoker Never smoker

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey 11-17 year olds, 2022 (Unweighted bases: Never smokers = 1,723, former smokers = 229,
current smokers = 118).

3
There is a gradient in use by age
The prevalence of regular use and experimentation increases with age. Ever use has increased across
all age groups but is highest in the older age groups with 10.4% of 11 to 15 year olds ever having vaped
compared with 29.1% of 16 and 17 year olds and 40.8% of 18 year olds (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Ever use of e-cigarettes by age, GB youth (11-15, 16-17 and 18), 2013-2022
50%

45%
40.8%
40%

35% 33.3%
31.0% 30.7% 30.3% 30.2%
30%
25.7%
25% 22.5% 29.1%
27.2% 29.2%
24.3% 24.8%
20% 23.2%
16.1%
20.2%
15% 18.0%

10% 9.0% 14.2%

10.4%
6.6% 9.3% 8.5%
5% 6.9% 7.5% 7.8%
6.5% 6.5%
2.6% 3.9%
0%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

11 to 15 16 to 17 18

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey, 2022. Unweighted bases: All 11-18 year olds (counts in table in the appendix).

Of 11-15 year olds only 4.0% currently use e-cigarettes compared to 14.1% of 16-17 year olds (Figure 4).
Current use is defined as any use of e-cigarettes, thus excluding those only trying them once or twice or
saying ‘I used to use e-cigarettes in the past but no longer do’.

Figure 5. Current use of e-cigarettes by age, GB youth (11-15, 16-17 and 18), 2013-2022
25%

20.2%
20%

15%
14.1%

9.6%
10% 8.4% 8.5%
7.2% 9.1%
5.5% 9.2%
5.5%
4.0% 5.9%
5% 3.6% 5.1%
1.4% 3.7%
3.3% 5.8% 4.0%
3.0%
1.1% 2.3% 2.5% 2.4% 2.2%
0% 0.6% 1.7% 1.5% 1.5%
0.6%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

11 to 15 16 to 17 18

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey, 2022. Unweighted bases: All 11-18 year olds (counts in table in the appendix).

4
Order of use of e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes
among 11-17 year olds
Over time the order of use between tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes has changed. The proportion of 11-
17 year olds smoking before vaping has decreased: in 2022, 35.6% who had tried e-cigarettes had tried a
tobacco cigarette beforehand (66.4% in 2014). This is the lowest level recorded by this survey. The proportion
of young people trying e-cigarettes first increased to its highest recorded level at 24.5% in 2021 (from 9.8%
in 2014) but has fallen in 2022 to 18.8%. Among 11-17 year olds who have tried vaping a greater proportion
have never smoked (40.1%) than smoked (35.6%) in 2022 for the first time.

Figure 6. Order of use between tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes, GB youth who had tried an
e-cigarette (11-17), 2014-2022
80%

70% 66.4%
61.2%
60%
51.5%
50% 43.9% 44.2%
42.9% 41.9%
38.0%
40% 35.0% 33.7% 40.1%
32.6% 33.0%
30.0% 35.6%
30% 31.2%
21.8% 23.0%

20% 24.5%
19.6% 19.8% 21.0%
18.5% 18.8%
10%
9.8% 9.7% 8.9%
0%
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

I tried smoking a real cigarette before I first tried using an e-cigarette

I tried using an e-cigarette before I first tried smoking a real cigarette
I have never smoked a real cigarette but have tried an e-cigarette

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Surveys, 2014-2022 Respondents who said they have tried an e-cigarette (Unweighted bases: 2014 =
118, 2015 = 210, 2016 = 168, 2017 = 279, 2018 = 254, 2019 = 301, 2020 = 327, 2021=266, 2022 = 390).

As noted above in 2022 there has been a significant increase in ever use of e-cigarettes among 11-17 year
olds compared to 2021. While there is a small increase in smoking this is not significant and is in line with the
downward trend prior to the pandemic.

Figure 7. Ever use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes over time, GB youth (11-17), 2013-2022
25%

20% 18.4% 17.9%

17.0% 17.1%
15.3% 15.7% 15.8% 15.6%
15% 15.7%
13.1% 14.4%

13.3% 13.7% 13.9%

13.2%
10% 11.5% 11.2%
9.9%

5% 6.9%

3.8%
0%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Ever use of cigarettes Ever use of e-cigarettes

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey(s), 2013-2022. Unweighted base: All 11-17 year olds (2013 = 1,895, 2014 = 1,817, 2015 =
1,834, 2016 = 1,735, 2017 = 2,151, 2018 = 1,807, 2019 = 1,982, 2020 = 2,029, 2021=2,109, 2022 = 2,111).

5
How underage users access e-cigarettes and cigarettes
The sale of tobacco and e-cigarettes to people under the age of 18 is an offence, however the most common
way to access both cigarettes and e-cigarettes among 11-17 year olds was purchase from shops with 51.9%
buying cigarettes and 46.5% buying e-cigarettes. The next most common source was being given them, at
39.3% for cigarettes, 43.0% for e-cigarettes.

Online purchases of e-cigarettes (10.0%) are much more common than cigarettes (4.0%), while street
markets are a more common source of cigarettes (10.9%) than e-cigarettes (6.5%). Young people tend to be
given their first cigarette (73.5%) and their first e-cigarette (69.4%), most frequently by peers.

Figure 8. Sources of cigarettes and e-cigarettes among young people 2022 (11-17 years)
70%

60% 51.9%

50% 46.5%
39.3% 43.0%
40%

30% 21.6%
17.8%
20% 10.9%
4.0% 10.0% 5.1%
6.5% 2.9% 7.5%
10% 2.1%2.6% 2.8%

0%
Shops Street A machine The Internet Purchased Given Some other Don't want to
markets from friends or way say
other informal
source
Cigarette source E-cigarette source

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey, 2022. Unweighted base: respondents (11-17) who currently use cigarettes: 118, respondents
(11-17) who currently use e-cigarettes: 172. Percentages have been rounded to the decimal place. Respondents allowed to tick
more than one box if more than one usual source.

Promotion of e-cigarettes
For the first time in 2022 the survey asked 11-17 year olds about their awareness of the promotion of e-cigarette.
Over half of all 11-17 year olds reported awareness of some form of e-cigarette promotion (55.8%). Those
who have ever used an e-cigarette are more likely to report awareness of e-cigarette promotion (71.5%) than
those who have not (52.7%), however, the sources of exposure were common for all groups; in shops (46.5%
ever vapers, 34.8% never vapers) and online (35.8% ever vapers, 21.7% never vapers).

Of those who reported seeing e-cigarettes promoted online the most common place was on TikTok (45.4%).
(Figure 9, next page)

6
Figure 9. Location of online e-cigarette promotion seen 2022 (11-17)
50%
45.4%

40%

31.1%
30% 27.4%

22.0%
20%
15.4%
12.5%
10% 6.3%

0%
TikTok Instagram Snapchat Facebook Twitter Somewhere Don't
else remember

In the 2021 survey images of different e-cigarette starter packs were shown to 11-18 year old respondents
to our survey who were asked to tell us which packs they would be interested in trying. Respondents were
randomly allocated either to packs with their usual brand imagery or packs with the brand imagery removed,
but the brand name retained. The experiment sought to assess if young people were more likely to be
interested in packs with brand imagery than those without.

Among those shown the branded packs 40% expressed a preference for one of the brands. Among those
shown packs without brand imagery 32% expressed a preference – a statistically significant difference.
Among the children who had never tried an e-cigarette the difference was slightly larger with 37% expressing
a preference when shown the fully branded packs and 27% expressing a preference when shown the packs
without brand imagery.

We showed the same packs to respondents in our survey of adult (18+ years). Among current smokers there
was no statistically significant difference in trying an e-cigarette starter pack whether it had brand imagery
(31%) or not (27%). Smokers who had never vaped were less likely to express a preference for packs with
brand imagery removed than smokers who had tried vaping (13% compared to 36%). However, again there
was no statistically significant difference between packs with brand imagery (14%) and those without (12%).

These findings suggest that removing brand imagery could have an impact in reducing the appeal of
e-cigarettes to young people without compromising their appeal to adult smokers.

Reasons why 11-17 year olds experiment with, and use,

e-cigarettes
Respondents who had ever used an e-cigarette (including current, ex-users and those who had tried them at
least once) were asked what reason best described why they use or used an e-cigarette. The most frequent
reason 11 to 17 year olds picked was ‘Just to give it a try’ (45.7%), this was most common among never-
smokers (65.4%).

Among current smokers who had tried e-cigarettes, reasons for e-cigarette use were more divided. The
most common reason was ‘I like the flavours’ (20.8%), followed by ‘I enjoy the experience’ (17.5%), with the
response ‘Just to give it a try’ third at 15.2%. They were also more likely to cite reasons linked to smoking ‘I
am trying to quit smoking’ (10.7%) and ‘I use them instead of smoking’ (9.4%). Some current smokers who
vape were also more likely to report ‘I am addicted to them’ (10.3%) which was not reported by any vapers
who had never smoked. (Figure 10).

7
Figure 10. Reasons for e-cigarette use, GB youth (11-17), 2022

0.0%
I think they look cool 4.0%
2.7%

They are easier to get hold of 1.4%

0.0%
than tobacco cigarettes 2.4%

3.0%
They are cheaper than smoking 0.4%
0.0%

17.5%
I enjoy the experience 11.3%
3.6%

10.3%
I am addicted to them 1.7%
0.0%

10.7%
I am trying to quit smoking 1.8%
0.6%

9.4%
I use them instead of smoking 3.6%
1.8%

6.8%
Other people use them so I join in 13.1%
11.0%

20.8%
I like the flavours 16.2%
10.3%

15.2%
Just to give it a try 44.4%
65.4%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Current tobacco smoker Former tobacco smoker Never tobacco smoker

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey, 2022. Respondents that have tried e-cigarettes (Unweighted bases: Never smokers = 149, former
smokers = 140, current smokers =93).

An increasing proportion of 11-17 year olds incorrectly

believe that e-cigarettes are as harmful as tobacco
cigarettes
Since 2013 there has been a gradual fall in the number of young people who correctly identify vaping as being
relatively less harmful than tobacco smoking. In 2013, 72.6% of young people correctly said that e-cigarettes
were less harmful than smoking, falling to 42.1% in 2022. The proportion of young people incorrectly saying
that e-cigarettes are more or equally harmful as tobacco cigarettes has grown from 12.9% in 2013 to 41.0%
in 2022. (Figure 11)

8
Figure 11. Perceptions of harm of e-cigarettes compared to smoking, GB youth (11-17), 2013-22
80%
72.6%

70% 66.0% 65.5%

62.3% 61.3%

60%
53.0%
50.1%
50%
41.5% 42.5% 42.1%

40%
40.9% 40.9%
37.2%
30% 33.8%
31.1%
19.6% 28.0% 20.4%
25.7% 17.5%
20% 24.6% 16.9%
15.9% 16.2%
14.5%
12.0%
12.9% 9.9% 10.7%
10% 14.4%

0%
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

About the same or more harmful Less harmful Don't know

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey(s). Unweighted base: All 11-17 year olds aware of e-cigarettes (2013 = 1,190, 2014 = 1,483, 2015
= 1,700, 2016 = 1,607, 2017 = 1,968, 2018 = 1,687, 2019 = 1,863, 2020 = 1,909, 2021 = 1,905, 2022 = 1,916)

Types of products used

E-LIQUIDS
In 2022, 46.1% of 11-17 year olds said that the e-cigarette they used most often always contained nicotine;
30.4% said it sometimes contained nicotine; 12.8% that it never contained nicotine; with 10.7% saying they
didn’t know.

The most frequently used e-cigarette flavouring for young people is ‘fruit flavour’ chosen by 56.7% of current
e-cigarette users. The next most popular flavour is from the ‘other flavour’ category (a wide variety including
‘chocolate, desserts, sweet, or candy, alcoholic drink, energy drink and soft drink flavour’) chosen by 16.2%,
followed by ‘menthol/mint flavour’, chosen by 9.2%. Tobacco flavour is less popular now than in the past, with
only 7.6% of young people who use e-cigarettes choosing this flavour in 2022 compared with 24.5% in 2015.
(Figure 12)

9
Figure 12. Most frequently chosen e-cigarette liquid flavour, current GB youth (11-17) users of
e-cigarettes, 2015 and 2022

6.3%
No flavour
0.7%

24.5%
Tobacco flavour
7.6%

14.1%
Menthol flavour
9.2%

4.0%
Tobacco menthol flavour
3.1%

38.3%
Fruit flavour
56.7%

Other flavour 3.9%

(incl.chocolate/sweets/candy
/alcohol/energy drink/soft drink) 16.2%

8.9%
Don't know
6.5%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

2015 2022

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey, 2022. Unweighted base: 11-17 year olds, respondents who are current users of e-cigarettes in
2022: 172; current users of e-cigarettes in 2015: 41. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest decimal place.

DEVICES
The most frequently used device has changed significantly over time. This year for the first time the most
popular type of e-cigarette amongst GB youth was disposable e-cigarettes, with 52.0% of respondents
favouring this device. This is more than a 7-fold increase between 2020 and 2022. (Figure 13)

Figure 13. Most frequently used e-cigarette by device type, current GB youth (11-17) users of
e-cigarettes, 2015-2022
80%

70% 68.0%

60% 58.5%
55.2%
49.6%
50% 45.7% 52.0%
40.5%
40% 35.9% 34.8%
34.6%
34.3%
30% 19.5%
24.0%
18.7% 20.1%
20% 17.0% 16.8% 17.0%
14.2% 15.1%
17.3% 12.9% 14.3%
10% 12.8% 8.8% 6.8% 13.7%
12.2%
8.4% 6.8% 6.9% 7.7%
0%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
A disposable electronic cigarette (non-rechargeable)
An electronic cigarette kit that is rechargable with replaceable pre-filled cartridges
An electronic cigarette that is rechargeable and has a tank or reservoir that you fill with liquid
Don't know/don't want to say

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey, 2022. Unweighted base: 11-17 year olds, respondents who are current users of e-cigarettes (2015
= 41, 2016 = 36, 2017 = 60, 2018 = 59, 2019 = 94, 2020 = 94, 2021= 76, 2022 = 172) Percentages have been rounded to the nearest
decimal place.

10
Over the last year a new generation of disposable vapes have come on to the market. Generically these are
known as ‘puff bars’ and the most popular brands by far are ‘Elf Bar’ and Geek Bar’ with only 30.2% of young
vapers using disposable vapes reporting using a different brand.

Figure 14. Brand of device tried by 11-17 year olds who vape disposables
60.0%
% of users of disposable vapes who

51.9%
47.6%
50.0%
have tried the brand

40.0%
30.2%
30.0%
20.8%
20.0%

10.0%

0.0%
Elf Bar Geek Bar All other brands Don't know/ don't
want to say

Urges to smoke compared with urges to use e-cigarettes

YouGov asked young people about the frequency and intensity of the urge to smoke and use e-cigarettes. In
2022 young smokers were more likely to report any type of strong urges to smoke (44.4%) than young vapers
were to report strong urges to vape (33.5%). Of e-cigarette users aged 11-17, 35.6% reported no urges to
vape, while 19.9% of 11-17 year old smokers reported no urges to smoke. (Figure 15).

These questions are used to make assessments about the level of addiction an individual may have. While it
is difficult to make a comparison between two different behaviours (smoking and vaping) in two different but
overlapping populations (young current smokers and young current vapers), the results indicate that young
vapers may have lower levels of addiction than young smokers. However, it may not be justified to draw
strong conclusions.

Figure 15. Reported urges to vape and smoke, GB youth (11-17) users of e-cigarettes and smokers,
2022

Reported urge to vape

among young people 8.2% 8.5% 16.8% 18.6% 12.2% 35.6%
who currently vape

Reported urge to smoke

among young people 9.9% 14.1% 20.4% 20.5% 15.2% 19.9%
who currently smoke

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Extremely strong Very strong Strong Moderate Slight No urges

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey, 2022. Unweighted base: 11-17 year olds, respondents who are current users of e-cigarettes 172;
respondents who are current smokers 118

11
Appendix 1: Context - regulatory framework and how it
has evolved
From October 2015 a minimum age of sale for e-cigarettes of 18 was introduced in England and Wales,
making it illegal to sell e-cigarettes containing nicotine to under 18s or to purchase them on behalf of under
18s.2 However, a loophole in the law does not make it illegal to give free samples of e-cigarettes to under 18s.
Scotland implemented their own age of sale and proxy purchasing regulations in April 2017,3 and Northern
Ireland in February 2022.4

From 20th May 2016, a regulatory framework for e-cigarettes was introduced in the UK under the EU Tobacco
Products Directive (TPD).5 From that date, the advertising or promotion, directly or indirectly, of electronic
cigarettes and re-fill containers on a number of media platforms, including on television, radio, newspapers
and magazines, was prohibited. The only advertising still allowed is at point of sale and other local advertising
such as billboards. Scotland is currently in the process of consulting on whether to tighten its regulations to
further limit the way vape products can be advertised and promoted.6

The new product rules under the TPD for e-cigarettes introduced a notification process for manufacturers and
importers in May 2016.7 Non-compliant stock was allowed on sale for a further year until 20th May 2017.8 See
below for a summary of the key product standards:

NICOTINE STRENGTH OF E-LIQUID

• Electronic cigarettes which contain up to 20 mg per ml of nicotine are regulated as consumer products.
• Products containing over 20mg per ml of nicotine are not legal unless they have a medicinal licence.9
• Zero nicotine products are not covered by the TPD and do not require a medicinal licence.

QUANTITY OF E-LIQUID
• Disposable electronic cigarettes, cartridges and tanks can contain a maximum of 2ml of e-liquid, while
dedicated refill containers can contain up to 10ml.

SAFETY
• Products must be child-resistant and tamper evident.

HEALTH WARNINGS
• The pack must carry a health warning covering 30% of the surfaces of the unit packet and any outside
packaging stating ‘This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance.’

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the competent authority for the
notification scheme for e-cigarettes and refill containers in the UK. Consumers and healthcare professionals
can report side effects and safety concerns with e-cigarettes or refill containers to the MHRA through the
Yellow Card reporting system.10 They can also report products suspected to be defective or non-compliant to
their local Trading Standards service or to TPDsafety@mhra.gov.uk.

The MHRA assesses all reports received in associated with nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and works with
local Trading Standards teams to investigate as needed. Should any potential safety concerns be identified
regulatory action would be taken and communicated as appropriate.

The Department for Health and Social Care carried out a post-implementation review of tobacco regulations
including e-cigarette regulations, and concluded that the regulations were fit for purpose in its responses
published in January 2021,11 and March 2022.12 ASH uses its annual online survey to ask e-cigarette users
questions about the type of product they use to inform our understanding of the impact of the current
regulations and how the market for e-cigarettes is evolving.

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Appendix 2: ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey
methodology
The ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey is an annual survey of young people in Great Britain ages 11-18 which
has been running since 2013. The survey is carried out online by YouGov and is commissioned by Action on
Smoking and Health (ASH) and funded by a combination of the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research
UK and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Since 2021, the analysis in the factsheet focuses on 11-17 year olds as it enables a clear picture to be
presented of underage use (since 2015 it has been illegal to sell e-cigarettes to anyone under the age of
18). With no legal distinctions in tobacco or e-cigarette usage within this age bracket, the relative group
homogeneity allows greater analysis power.

Results have been weighted and are representative of GB children aged 11 to 17. This year’s survey was
carried out online in 2022 and relevant comparisons with previous years are covered in this briefing. Numbers
have been rounded up from the first decimal place, but down from the second decimal place.

ASH Smokefree GB Youth Survey Participant Counts

Year Age 11-15 Age 16-17 Age 11-17 Age 18 All ages 11-18 Dates
2022 1335 776 2111 502 2613 1st – 29th March
2021 1347 762 2109 404 2513 25th March – 16th April
2020 1295 734 2029 476 2505 11th – 31st March
2019 1243 739 1982 541 2523 12th March – 3rd April
2018 1288 519 1807 484 2291 28th February – 17th March
2017 1538 613 2151 472 2623 10th March – 5th April
2016 1326 409 1735 596 2331 11th March – 10th April
2015 1291 543 1834 457 2291 6th -22nd March
2014 1348 469 1817 251 2068 21st March - 1st April
2013 1422 473 1895 283 2178 21st - 28th March

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References
Online links last checked July 2022.
1. 2022 ASH Smokefree GB Adult Survey. Total sample size was 13,088 respondents. The online survey was
undertaken between 16th February – 21st March 2022. The figures have been weighted and are representative
of all GB adults.
2. The Nicotine Inhaling Products (Age of Sale and Proxy Purchasing) Regulations 2015
3. Scottish Government. E-cigarette restrictions. April 2017. [accessed 28 June 2022]
4. NI Department of Health. New smoking and e-cig regulations are important to protect children. December 2021.
[accessed 28 June 2022]
5. EU Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU Article 20.
6. Scottish Government. Tightening rules on advertising and promoting vaping products. Consultation closed 29 April
2022. [accessed 28 June 2022]
7. Medicines and Healthcare products regulatory Agency. E-cigarettes: regulations for consumer products. 2019
8. Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016
9. Medicines and Healthcare products regulatory agency. Licensing procedure for electronic cigarettes as medicines.
2017
10. Yellow Card, MHRA
11. DHSC. A Post Implementation Review Report of Tobacco Legislation Coming into Force Between 2010-2015.
January 2021. [accessed 28 June 2022]
12. DHSC. Post-Implementation Review of Tobacco Legislation: The Tobacco and Related Products Regulations
2016. March 2022. [accessed 28 June 2022]

When referring to this publication, please cite as:

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). Use of e-cigarettes (vapes) among young people in Great Britain.
2022.

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