Vaping on the rise

Vaping has been around in the UK since the mid-2000s but, over the last few years, disposable vapes have grown immensely in popularity.

There are now 4.5 million regular vapers and 3,000 specialist vape shops - although disposable vapes are also readily available to purchase in supermarkets and corner shops[1].

What’s particularly interesting about this trend is that those who have never smoked before are picking up the habit.

Below we look into some recent statistics on vaping in the UK and discuss how vaping could impact your life insurance policy.

Vaping in the UK

Vaping was widely popularised as a way to wean people off cigarettes when trying to quit smoking. However, the activity has taken a worrying turn with many non-smokers now using disposable vapes.

Currently, 1 in 7 young adults (age 18 - 24) who have never regularly smoked are now using vapes[2].

As with smoking, the UK government has introduced restrictions on vaping such as restricting use in public areas and issuing fines to retailers who sell vapes to those under 18.

The UK government has also announced plans to introduce further restrictions on vaping, including:

  • A ban on disposable vapes in April 2025
  • A new tax on vaping products in October 2026
  • Marketing restrictions to make vapes seem less appealing to young people

What is vaping?

Vaping is defined as the act of inhaling an aerosol created by an electronic cigarette or other device.

The electronic cigarette heats a liquid that contains nicotine and/or flavourings into a mist.

Is vaping better than smoking?

While vapes are often seen as a useful tool to help smokers kick their tobacco habits, are they any better?

Professor Nick Hopkinson (a raspatory physician and chair of Action on Smoking and Health) states: ‘vaping has helped millions of adults quit smoking and is much less harmless than smoking. However, it is not risk-free’[3].

While disposable vapes are considered to be less harmful than smoking as they don’t contain the tobacco and toxic chemicals found in cigarettes, there is still limited research into the long-term health effects as they are a relatively new product.

In terms of life insurance, high-risk factors such as smoking can increase the cost of your monthly life insurance premium.

Insurers will still classify you as a smoker if you use vapes - therefore vaping isn’t necessarily better than smoking in the eyes of insurers.

During the application you’ll need to discuss your smoking or vaping habits in the past 12 months and this will be considered when your premium is calculated.

To be classified as a non-smoker you must be free of cigarettes and all substitutes for at least 12 months (or longer depending on the insurer).

Vaping side effects

Unlike smoking, there is limited research into the associated health risks of using disposable vapes.

Smoking is linked to conditions such as:

  • Cancer
  • Heart disease and stoke
  • Lung diseases
  • Type 2 diabetes[4]

There is currently no good evidence to suggest that using vapes can cause cancer[5]. However, this isn’t to say that vaping doesn’t have any health risks.

The side effects of vaping are likely to include cough, headache, feeling sick, as well as throat and mouth irritation.

Benefits of quitting vaping

Using a vape could help you to stop smoking but it shouldn’t be seen as a long-term swap. Quitting vaping could allow you to:

  • Reduce damage to the environment (disposable vapes only last a certain amount of time before they need to be replaced)
  • Develop healthier habits
  • Improved oral health
  • Benefit from cheaper life insurance premiums (if you have stopped vaping for at least 12 months)

If you’d like to cut back on your habits or take the leap and quit completely, there are a number of resources and help services you can utilise:

Phil Jeynes, Director of Corporate Strategy at Reassured, said:

Phil Jeynes headshot

Many people believe that if they switch to using a vape they will be considered as a non-smoker by insurers and can therefore secure the standard rate. However, as identified above, if you vape you will still be classified as a smoker by most insurers.

Typically, you’ll need to be free of cigarettes, vapes and all replacement products for insurers to classify you as a non-smoker.

Sources:

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2sxWjgnyTBKfr1x7vbVnZHY/how-did-e-cigarettes-and-vaping-get-so-popular

[2] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20jeey047xo

[3] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/oct/02/one-million-people-in-england-vape-despite-never-having-smoked-regularly-study-finds

[4] https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/about/index.html

[5] https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/smoking-and-cancer/is-vaping-harmful


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