The full ASH Wales Annual Adult Population Survey 2026 is now published, bringing together new Wales-specific evidence on smoking, vaping, inequalities, quitting and public attitudes.

The survey was carried out online by YouGov between 18 February and 19 March 2026 with 1,119 adults aged 18 and over in Wales. Figures were weighted to be representative of Welsh adults.

Read the full ASH Wales Annual Adult Population Survey 2026

Smoking, quitting and inequality

• 12% of adults in the ASH Wales/YouGov survey reported currently smoking.
• 53% of current smokers said they want to stop.
• 28% of adults living in social housing reported currently smoking, compared with 8% of homeowners.
• 23% of adults living in social housing said someone smoked in their home most days, compared with 8% of homeowners.

These are ASH Wales/YouGov survey findings. They should not be substituted for official National Survey for Wales prevalence estimates, which use a different survey and methodology.

Explore the 2026 social-housing findings

Vaping and perceptions of harm

• 12% of adults reported currently vaping.
• 30% of current smokers also reported vaping.
• 39% of adults who vape said their main reason was to stop smoking, cut down or stay off tobacco.
• Among adults aware of vapes, 54% believed vaping was as harmful as or more harmful than smoking cigarettes.

The harm-perception finding measures what people believe; it is not a clinical assessment. Public Health Wales states that vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, though it is not risk-free.

What people in Wales think about tobacco control

• 63% support progressively raising the tobacco age of sale for people born in 2009 or later.
• 86% support requiring tobacco retailers to hold a licence that could be removed following repeated underage sales.
• 75% support a levy on tobacco manufacturers to fund measures to help smokers quit and prevent young people from starting.
• 43% say governments are not doing enough to limit smoking, compared with 11% who say they are doing too much.
• 77% support smoke-free public transport waiting areas.

Explore the 2026 public-attitudes findings

About the survey

ASH Wales works with Action on Smoking and Health on the annual Smokefree GB survey. YouGov conducted the 2026 survey online between 18 February and 19 March. The Wales sample included 1,119 adults aged 18 and over. Figures are weighted and rounded.

Differences between survey years should be read with care unless statistical significance has been tested. Survey findings cannot establish causation.

Explore more evidence in our Research & Data hub or use our Smoking Statistics and Facts in Wales page for sourced Wales figures.