UK Follows Sweden and Norway’s Path Away from Smoking

• Smoking in the UK continues to fall, with fewer than one in ten adults now smoking.
• Vaping is now more common than smoking among adults in Great Britain.
• Sweden and Norway show how smoke-free nicotine alternatives can support lower smoking rates.
• Haypp urges policymakers to protect adult access to lower-risk products while preventing youth uptake.

The number of adult vapers in Great Britain exceeds the number of people who smoke cigarettes, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The data shows that around 4.9 million people aged 18 years and over (9.8% of the population) smoked cigarettes in the UK in 2025. This is down from 2024 (10.6%) in 2024 following a long-term decline in smoking.

This trend reflects a broader pattern seen in countries such as Sweden and Norway, where the availability and uptake of less harmful nicotine alternatives has coincided with some of the lowest smoking rates in Europe.

Haypp’s own research has highlighted similar trends in Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, and the UK where smoking rates have declined sharply alongside the growing uptake of smoke-free alternatives.

The latest figures come just two years after vaping overtook smoking in the UK for the first time.

While vaping rates appear to have stabilised overall, smoking continues to decline, suggesting that the transition away from combustible tobacco is continuing.

Dr Marina Murphy, Head of External Affairs UK and Scientific Affairs at Haypp, says the trend should be seen as a part of a broader public health shift.

"The UK is increasingly following a pattern we've already seen in Sweden and Norway. When adult smokers have access to products that are significantly less harmful than cigarettes, many choose to switch.
The result is fewer smokers and, ultimately, fewer smoking-related diseases."

Murphy argues that policymakers should pay close attention to the factors helping to drive this change. She continues:

"The key lesson is not that nicotine use disappears overnight. It's that smoking can decline substantially when smokers have realistic alternatives.

Sweden and Norway offer important lessons and the UK’s continued decline in smoking re-enforces the case for taking harm reduction seriously as part of the public health response.”

Sweden is widely recognised for having the lowest smoking rate in Europe, largely driven by the availability of smoke-free nicotine products.

Norway has followed a similar trajectory, while the UK has embraced e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool through initiatives such as the government's former Swap to Stop programme.

Haypp analysis has previously shown that countries with a widespread uptake of alternative nicotine products generally experience faster reductions in smoking prevalence than countries relying exclusively on traditional tobacco control measures.

The new figures come as policymakers continue to debate the future regulation of vaping products. 

While youth uptake remains a concern, many public health organisations and smoking cessation experts have stressed the importance of maintaining access for adult smokers seeking alternatives to cigarettes.

Murphy says the latest ONS data reinforce the need to keep reducing smoking at the centre of policy decisions. 

"Every fall in smoking prevalence is good news for public health. The challenge now is ensuring that regulation continues to protect young people while preserving pathways away from smoking for adults.

If that balance is maintained, the UK can continue moving closer to the smoke-free success already achieved in Sweden."

The latest ONS figures suggest that journey is already well underway. With smoking rates now below 10% and vaping more common than smoking, Britain appears to be following a path first pioneered by its Nordic neighbours.