Around 2 million UK vapers (35%) say they would either buy illicit single-use vapes, return to smoking, or increase tobacco use if the government places restrictions on vape flavours, display and packaging – on top of the already confirmed single-use vape ban, set to take effect from 1 June, according to new research from leading vape brand Elfbar.
Among single-use vape users, this figure rises to 50 per cent.
The study, conducted by Opinium in December 2024, surveyed over 6,000 UK adult vapers and smokers. It found that 68 per cent of adult vapers believe a range of flavours helps to stop them from going back to smoking tobacco, with nearly half (48%) using fruit or sweet flavours most often.
The study also shows that 21per cent of adults quit smoking over the past five years, of which 45 per cent used vapes as part of their successful quit journey.
According to national statistics, there are still around six million UK adult smokers. Alarmingly, the research reveals that 42 per cent of adults who smoke mistakenly believe that vapes are equally or more harmful than smoking.
The findings align with the government’s own impact assessment on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which found that 33 per cent of smokers stated that they would not quit and/or smoke more if flavours were not available.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which has passed the House of Commons on Wednesday, includes powers to further regulate the vape sector beyond the single-use vape ban.
Elfbar said the research underscores the importance of balanced regulation that understands the critical role that vapes and particularly flavours play in smoking cessation.
“Vaping products are an effective and proven smoking cessation tool. As such, it is vital that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and subsequent secondary legislation recognises the importance of vape flavours to smokers and ex-smokers,” Eve Peters, director of government affairs for Elfbar in the UK, said.
“We support a range of measures to strengthen the regulatory regime in the UK, including the introduction of a vape tax, retail licensing system and a ban on vending machines, but there is a clear risk of overregulation as confirmed by these findings.
“The single-use ban will disrupt more than 60 per cent of the market and potentially increase smoking rates, therefore, a full public health impact assessment following the ban is needed before the UK government rushes to introduce additional measures, including potentially restricting flavours, that could undermine its smokefree ambition.”
