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In the Vape Green UK Vapers Survey, we asked vapers about their habits, including what devices helped them quit smoking and which nicotine strength they used. Let’s discuss our findings.
We ran a survey asking our customers about their vaping experience and previous smoking habits, including which devices and nicotine strengths they use and what helped them quit smoking. And for those who vape but still smoke, we investigated how vaping affects their smoking habits.
The Vape Green UK Vapers Survey 2023 paints a picture of UK vapers’ demographics and preferences. Let’s dive into the survey’s findings.
Among the Vape Green UK Vapers Survey’s 129 participants, every adult age group was represented from 18 to over 65 years of age. Over 79% of the survey’s respondents were over the age of 35.
Of the 129 people surveyed, 88.4% said that they had successfully quit smoking. 81.4% reported being vapers for more than a year.
When asked their reasons for taking up vaping, an overwhelming majority of participants (82.2%) stated that they wanted to quit smoking for their health.
The second most popular reason for vaping was to save money (46.5%), and “to quit smoking for my family” (31.8%). A further 12.4% of respondents said it was recommended to them by a friend or family member, and 18.6% said that they simply wanted to give it a try.
Only 3 respondents out of 129 (2.3%) said that they were following advice from their GP or Local Stop Smoking Service (LSSS).
Over 88% of respondents had successfully quit smoking since they started vaping.
The Vape Green UK Vapers Survey asked these vapers about their smoking habits before they started vaping, and 35.1% had been smokers for over 20 years. Only 11.4% of respondents had been smokers for less than 5 years before they started vaping.
Of these vapers, we found that a majority smoked over half a pack of cigarettes a day, with 50.9% reporting that they smoked between 11 and 20 cigarettes per day and 18.4% reporting that they smoked over 20 cigarettes per day.
Only 7% of those surveyed (8 out of 129) reported that they had only smoked socially or occasionally before taking up vaping.
When asked which type of vape kit helped them quit smoking, a majority of respondents attributed their success to a refillable pod kit (52.6%).
The second most helpful device was a mod and tank set-up (27.2%), followed by disposable vapes and other non-refillable devices (20.2%).
These vapers were then asked which nicotine strength helped them quit smoking. Only 4 respondents (3.5%) reported using a 0mg (nicotine-free) strength to quit smoking, while rates were fairly even among the other nicotine strengths.
The most common strength used to quit smoking was 3mg to 5mg (28.9%), followed by 12mg to 18mg (23.7%). The number of vapers who successfully quit smoking was equal between the 20mg and the 6mg to 10mg groups at 21.9%.
Refillable pod kits are a fairly recent innovation, only popularised in the last 5 years or so, and disposable vapes only became widely available in the UK around 2021. So, the percentage of mod and tank set-ups reportedly used to quit smoking in our survey (27.2%) correlates with the number of respondents who have been vaping for 6 years or more (19.4%).
The longer someone has been vaping, the more likely they are to have quit smoking using a mod and tank set-up, as these were the only devices available before pod vapes and disposable vapes were introduced.
There's a clear correlation between the number of ex-smokers who quit using a mod and tank set-up (27.2%) and those who reported using a 3mg to 5mg nicotine strength to quit smoking (28.9%). This is because these devices, by nature, are high-powered and their recommended maximum strength is 6mg. The power these vapes generate vaporises more E-Liquid per puff, and as a result, using more than 6mg of nicotine can be unpleasant to the user and can result in them ingesting too much nicotine. Most mod and tank vapers opt for a 3mg nicotine strength due to the format of the shortfill E-Liquids used in these devices.
Refillable pod kits, on the other hand, are low-powered and are compatible with a wider array of nicotine strengths. As long as the E-Liquid has a compatible ratio of Vegetable Glycerine (VG) to Propylene Glycol (PG), any nicotine strength can be used. A majority of new pod kit users opt for a 10mg or 20mg nicotine strength to satisfy their nicotine cravings while making the transition from smoking, but this is entirely up to the vapers and will vary depending on personal choice.
On top of this, most disposable vapes in the UK are only available in a 20mg (2%) nicotine strength by default. Only a few models sold in the UK are available in a 10mg nicotine strength, and even there are even fewer nicotine-free options for disposable vapers.
What’s most crucial about the nicotine strength dataset is that nicotine-free vapes were the least reported to be effective among vapers who’ve successfully quit smoking. This is in line with the guidance when using vapes to quit smoking: smokers should opt for a nicotine strength that will supplement the nicotine they would normally be getting from cigarettes. In users who opt for a nicotine-free vape, those nicotine cravings won’t be satisfied by the vape and are therefore less effective against tobacco addiction.
Only 15 of the 129 vapers surveyed (11.6%) reported dual use, meaning that they both smoke cigarettes and vape. This is, of course, a small sample size, but there is still insight to be gleaned from this demographic.
Among dual users, 73.3% (11 respondents) reported that they were still actively trying to quit smoking, while 26.7% (4 respondents) said that they were not trying to quit. 40% (6 respondents) reported being smokers for over 30 years.
Respondents were asked why they vape and were told to select all answers that apply. 73.3% said that it helps them smoke less, while 60% (9 respondents) said that they were still trying to quit smoking. A further 60% responded that they vape because it’s cheaper than smoking, and 40% said that they simply enjoy the experience.
Respondents were given the option to enter their own answer, and one respondent said that it helps with their anxiety, while another said that vaping leaves no smell on their clothes.
Crucially, 100% of dual users surveyed reported that they smoke less since they started vaping.
To quantify this, we asked dual users how much they smoked before they started vaping, and how much they smoke currently. Before vaping, 40% of dual users (6 respondents) reported smoking more than 20 cigarettes per day. After taking up vaping, the number of dual users who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day fell to just 6.7%—1 respondent.
Among these users, refillable pod kits were the most popular device of choice (46.7% – 7 respondents). An equal number of respondents reported using mod and tank set-ups and non-refillable devices like disposable vapes (26.7% each). The most popular nicotine strength among dual users was 20mg, accounting for 40% of responses.
While it would be unproductive to draw conclusions from such a small sample size of dual users, there are a few important things we can gather from these responses.
The most important piece of data from this part of the Vape Green UK Vapers Survey is that all dual users saw a decrease in the number of cigarettes they smoked per day after they started vaping.
This is in line with current evidence about “accidental quitting,” which shows that smokers who take up vaping for reasons unrelated to smoking cessation find themselves either substantially cutting back or quitting cigarettes altogether.
Part two of the Vape Green UK Vapers Survey 2023 covered the state of vaping legislation and vapers' opinions on current threats from the UK government.
Perhaps the most important question we asked was this: “If the UK government banned vaping or significantly restricted your access to vape products, what would you do?”
38.8% of UK vapers said they would go back to smoking cigarettes, while 34.9% said they would find illicit ways to buy vape products. Only 26.4% said they would quit vaping.
We asked UK vapers which vaping regulations, initiatives, and legislation they would support, and asked them to select as many answers as they wanted.
The most popular suggestions were “Harsher fines for selling vapes to under-18s” with 82.2% support and “Public recycling bins in city centres for disposable vapes” with 58.9% support.
The least popular answers were “A ban on all flavours except tobacco” with just 2.3% support and “A higher tax on nicotine products (including vapes)” with 3.1% support.
Unfortunately, if the government were to introduce the second most popular suggestion—public recycling bins—there would need to be a higher tax on vape products to pay for the bins.
Which of the following vaping regulations, initiatives, and legislation would you support?
| Proposed Initiative | Support (%) |
|---|---|
| Harsher fines for selling vapes to under-18s | 82.2% |
| Public recycling bins in city centres for disposable vapes | 58.9% |
| Dedicated task force to tackle illicit vape imports | 44.2% |
| Retailer licensing scheme to limit where vape products can be sold | 36.4% |
| Raising tank sizes on disposable vapes to price out under 18s | 18.6% |
| Non-branded cigarette-style packaging | 16.3% |
| A higher tax on nicotine products | 3.1% |
| A ban on all vape flavours except tobacco | 2.3% |
Our survey asked UK vapers how they feel about the government’s plan to ban disposable vapes. Respondents were asked to select an answer on a scale from “strongly support” to “strongly oppose,” with a neutral option in between.
47.3% of vapers either somewhat or strongly opposed the measure. Only 7.8% strongly supported the measure.
We asked UK vapers to comment on two questions—both of which were optional to ensure the responses were genuine. The first question we asked was about how vaping has improved their lives.
A large number of responses attributed vaping to better health and saving money, and a number of people mentioned that they no longer smell like cigarettes. And those who haven’t successfully quit smoking yet but still vape say that vaping has helped them reduce their habit.
There were a number of comments about how vaping was the only thing that helped users quit smoking, and several people mentioned how much fitter they feel now. Several people mentioned their asthma improving and how much easier it is to exercise now.
So many vapers are happier now in knowing that they’ve taken steps toward better health. They can breathe easier, they don’t reek of smoke, their wallets are fatter, and their families are grateful. And they have vaping to thank for that.
We also asked vapers what they would say to those who want to restrict their access to vaping.
Comments here were varied, from outrage and expletives to legitimate arguments about how banning vaping would be harmful to legitimate adult users. The most common thread was the notion of “my body, my choice,” with vapers lamenting the idea of having their freedom of choice taken away. One vaper argued, quite eloquently, that freedom of choice should only be limited when that choice poses the threat of harming others.
Several vapers pointed out the likelihood that a vaping prohibition would only fuel a black market of unregulated imports, much like what happened in Australia after the prescription-only model was enacted in 2021.
Vapers also addressed their opinion on the youth vaping issue.
Many remarked that a ban would put a strain on the NHS and endanger the welfare of the nation’s millions of smokers. They noted that a prohibition-style approach would be counterintuitive.
Last but not least, my personal favourite:
The Vape Green UK Vapers Survey 2023 paints an extensive picture of UK vapers and their habits, from how they started to what kept them going.
Crucially, we explored the most effective tools for smoking cessation in hopes that we may find better recommendations for future vapers looking to make the switch.
Refillable pod kits—using E-Liquids with a nicotine strength correlating to the user’s smoking habits—are the most effective tools for smoking cessation as evidenced by the Vape Green UK Vapers Survey results.
We hope these results will serve as an effective guide for anyone looking to quit smoking by switching to vaping, and we also hope that they may sway future discussions about vaping. As we know, vaping is not an activity exclusive to young people—in fact, our average customer age here at Vape Green is 55. Adult smokers across the UK are switching to vaping one by one and finding better health for doing so.
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A self-proclaimed American Weird Girl in London, Rachel is a writer with 10 years of vaping experience. In 2021, she severed her decade-long love affair with Marlboro Reds using a pod vape and hasn't looked back since. Armed with degrees in creative writing and media, she's a passionate proponent of THR and helping smokers quit. Outside of writing, Rachel is a multi-instrumental musician, singer, wife, and mother of two black cats.