Smoking remains one of England’s biggest health threats – it’s the leading preventable cause of illness and death as well as health inequalities. And many, if not a majority, of other parts of the world, aren’t that much different. Though we’ve been aware of the dangers of smoking for decades and different preventive measures have been taken, the tobacco industry is still lucrative. From banning cigarette ads to nicotine patches to spreading awareness – nothing seems to be helping. Too many people simply love the habit too much or find the addiction too strong to quit cold turkey.
As such, various businesses and regulatory bodies have turned their attention to providing alternatives rather than trying to eradicate the problem overnight. One of the proposed solutions is vaping, supported especially by the British public health authorities. And it’s no wonder why – according to Vapekit, along with the rising popularity of vaping, smoking decreased from 20% to 14% of the population by 2019, which is a record low number of active smokers.
The official support has undoubtedly influenced the rapid growth of vaping popularity in the UK, but it certainly is not all. Join us as we dive deep into the topic below.
A Brief History of Vaping
Though many people attribute the invention of e-cigarettes to a Chinese pharmacist, Hon Lik, vaping has actually a bit longer history. Indeed, Hon Lik is the designer of vaping devices we know today, but the first patent was filed in 1927 and approved three years later. However, it was never developed into an actual product, not to mention introduced into the market. Then, in the 1960s, one Herbert Gilbert filed a patent for a device very similar to what later will make Hon Lik famous. Unfortunately for Gilbert, he found no one who would help him make the idea a reality.
Hon Lik registered the patent in 2003, and the rest is history. Still, the popularity didn’t spike immediately, and certainly not in the UK. Until 2009, it was rather a niche activity with barely any products on the market. However, e-cigarettes started to gain very dedicated fans. Much like in the case of tv series, books, or popular movies, vaping ex-smokers began to organise themselves into groups, setting up online forums and meeting up. This is also when Planet of the Vapes – the largest forum outside the US – has appeared; it is still thriving today.
Social media networking also gave rise to many vaping-related businesses and, eventually, a nationwide event called Vapefest. By 2015, e-cigarettes had started to be recognised as a growing phenomenon.
The Popularity of Vaping in the UK
In 2021, the vaping market in the UK was estimated at $3.4 billion and is expected to grow to $4.2 billion by 2025, making it the biggest single market in Europe and the second-largest in the world, after the US.
However, many people are still wary of vaping, primarily due to misinformation. According to Professor Linda Bauld from the University of Edinburgh, even the third of all smokers haven’t tried e-cigarettes because of health concerns; there’s still a prevalent belief that they might actually be worse than traditional cigarettes. But the regulatory bodies may have a solution – it’s highly likely that in the very near future, medically licensed e-cigarettes could be prescribed on the NHS and thus partially or fully funded. That will certainly convey a clear message that vaping is safer than smoking.
Considering that there are roughly 6.7 million smokers in the UK (with around 2.9 million in England), it gives us more than 2 million people who might consider switching to vaping if they’re sure it’s safer.
Vaping in the UK – Regulations
While the British government was cautious when it came to making decisions concerning e-cigarettes, they were still a member of the UE when the Tobacco Products Directive was passed. As such, the UK needed to implement much stricter regulations than those already in place.
As of today, since the British public health authorities have recognised vaping as a smoking alternative with harm reduction potential, all new products need to be registered with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency before being introduced into the market. Both vaping devices and e-liquids have to be tested for potentially harmful ingredients, such as aluminium, iron, tin, nickel, acrolein, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde, among other things.
Moreover, if a company wants to ship its e-cigarettes and other related products abroad, it also must register with the relevant regulatory agency.
What Is the Future of Vaping in the UK?
Considering that vaping still has support from the British public health authorities, we can’t expect the trend to fade away anytime soon.
The University College of London, or, to be precise, a team consisting of Professors West, Beard, Kale, Brown, and Kock, has been tracking the popularity and development of the vaping industry in the UK since it first blew up. According to one of their recent reports, e-cigarettes are still the first and most effective option for those trying to quit smoking. Public Health England actually lobbies for relevant policies that would distinguish between vaping and smoking, considering that e-cigarettes are substantially safer, and there’s no evidence that they can harm bystanders the way cigarettes do.
As the government aim for smoke-free England by 2030, vaping is sure to remain one of the crucial tools in achieving this.
Moreover, given that more and more people try to live more sustainable lives, eco-friendliness might also be a viable reason to give up smoking. It is estimated that six trillion cigarettes are produced every year worldwide, significantly contributing to climate change by using up land and water. What’s more, the process of drying tobacco requires considerable amounts of energy, usually generated by wood or coal burning. Not to mention the toxic chemicals that poison the soil and water and fires caused by discarded cig ends.
Final Take
All things considered, we’ve seen that there are a number of reasons why vaping popularity in the UK is booming. The low rates of smoking and the fast rise of vaping popularity go hand in hand, and the rapid development of the market and the growing number of e-liquids and devices being introduced into the market also have a lot to do with it.
There’s really no way to tell what will happen in the future, as new products and policies are introduced, but as of now, vaping is definitely here to say. With a favourable regulatory environment and the support of the medical community, it should only get better with time.
Vaping might not be perfect, but public health authorities seem to agree that it’s a better alternative for those wishing to quit smoking.
Natalia Kołkowska
