ASH WALES / YOUGOV ANNUAL SURVEY 2024: INCREASING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR MORE ACTION ON CIGARETTES AND VAPES
Public support in Wales for more action on tobacco and nicotine control is growing, with 52% of those questioned saying governments are not doing enough up from 39% in 2018. This includes almost a quarter (24%) of smokers.
Nearly 8 out 10 (79%) of adults surveyed in Wales say they support a smokefree generation; with 67% supporting legislation to raise the age of sale for tobacco products by one year every year, for those born after January 1st, 2009.
Smoking rates in Wales remain the same as 2023 at 13%, while adult vaping prevalence is at an all-time high at 11% – compared to 8% in the 2023 survey.
Smoking continues to drive health inequalities in Wales. Those living in the lowest social grades are nearly twice as likely to smoke as those in the highest. In 2024, 30% of respondents who live in social housing said they were current smokers, compared to 9% of homeowners.
A growing need for accessible and timely smoking and nicotine cessation services is evident in the 2024 survey; with 54% of current smokers and 47% of current vapers saying they would like to quit.
Worryingly, there is a sizeable proportion of adults in Wales who believe that vapes are just as harmful, or more harmful, than tobacco cigarettes. The percentage who feel this has grown from 25% in 2017, to 46% in 2024 – including 43% of smokers.
Chief Executive ASH Cymru, Suzanne Cass, said: “Policies to protect children and young people from the devasting harms of smoking are popular and well received and yet more than half of all adults surveyed say our governments are still not doing enough. There is a clear need for more to be done to protect our future generations from a lifelong addiction to nicotine.
“These results also highlight growing misconceptions around the relative harms of vaping products compared to tobacco. We need to ensure that the 330,000 smokers in Wales are not put off from using a vape to quit smoking due to mistaken fears that these products are as harmful as tobacco.”
Eight in 10 (80%) want to see a ban on the sale and import of disposable vapes, including 47% of current vapers. Welsh Government announced an ambition to achieve a ban, along with the other UK nations, in April 2025.
82% of those surveyed said they support a ban on using names of sweets, cartoons and bright colours in vapes, compared to 76% in 2023.
Support for smoke-free spaces in Wales remains very strong, with eight in 10 (80%) saying they would support banning smoking in public transport waiting areas.
There is also steadily growing support for help for pregnant smokers in Wales to quit. NICE guidance for the NHS recommends financial incentives, like shopping vouchers, to encourage pregnant women to stop smoking. 53% of Welsh adults surveyed support this policy, compared to 46% in 2022.
Read the full YouGov Survey 2024 Report here:
