Average daily cigarette consumption fell to its lowest level since 1974, according to newly released government data that show the UK smoking rate fell three percentage points to 17.2 per cent between 2010 and 2015.

About 4 per cent of the population, 2.3 million people, were e-cigarette users in 2015. The number of former vapers was much larger at 4 million, the Office for National Statistics report shows. Among users, half said they were vaping to help quit smoking.
Smokers averaged 11.3 cigarettes a day, and they were more likely to be male than female. Smoking has declined in all age groups, with the largest decrease among those aged 18 to 24, states Adult Smoking Habits in the UK: 2015.