One in 18 Scots aged 11 to 17 currently vape, new Scottish Government research finds
Around one in 18 young people aged between 11 and 17 in Scotland are currently vaping, according to new Scottish Government research.
The latest figures found 5.6% of young people in the age group said they currently use vapes, while almost one in five – 18% – said they had tried vaping at least once.
The research, published on 11 August, is based on the Scottish results of the 2026 Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Smokefree GB Youth Survey.
The proportion reporting that they currently vape was 7.3% in 2025 and 7.4% in 2024. However, researchers cautioned that the differences between the three years were not statistically significant, meaning the survey cannot establish that vaping among young people has fallen.
Use increased sharply among older teenagers. Some 14.1% of 16-year-olds surveyed said they currently vaped, compared with 4.7% of 15-year-olds and 3.7% of 14-year-olds.
Among 17-year-olds, 11.1% said they currently vaped. More than a third of 16-year-olds – 38.3% – said they had tried a vape at some point.
The survey also found vaping was more common than cigarette smoking. Some 3% of those aged 11 to 17 identified as current smokers, while 15.2% said they had tried a cigarette.
Among the 46 current vapers identified in the survey, 14 were also current smokers and 12 said they had never tried a cigarette.
Friends appear to play a significant role in introducing young people to vaping.
Of the teenagers who had tried a vape, 76.1% said their first one had been given to them by somebody they knew – overwhelmingly a friend. Only 6.9% said they had bought their first vape from a shop and 1.7% had bought it online.
Regular users nevertheless reported relatively easy access to the products. Of the 46 current vapers surveyed, 32 said vapes were easy to obtain and only one said they were difficult to get.
Thirty-four current vapers said they usually purchased their products from what the report classed as a regulated outlet, although researchers warned that the number of current users in the sample was small and the results should therefore be treated with caution.
The research also provides an early indication of how young people’s habits have changed since the ban on single-use disposable vapes came into force in June 2025.
Rechargeable devices were used by 31 of the 46 current vapers surveyed – 69% – compared with 10 who reported using disposable vapes. In 2024, disposable devices had been the most commonly used type.
Fruit flavours remained particularly popular, with 33 of the 46 current vapers saying they used them most often. Taste was also the single most important consideration when choosing a vape among young people who had tried one.
Vape promotion remains highly visible to young people despite their age.
Among teenagers who were aware of vapes, 54.8% said shops were somewhere they had seen vape advertising, while 46.7% reported seeing promotions outside shops.
More than a quarter – 27.1% – had encountered vape promotions online. Among that group, TikTok was the most commonly reported platform, followed by Snapchat, YouTube and Instagram.
The findings come as ministers consider further restrictions on how vaping and nicotine products can be packaged, displayed and promoted.
The Scottish Government launched a consultation in July on measures intended to make the products less appealing to children and young people, following the passing of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026.
The 2026 youth survey included 767 respondents aged between 11 and 17 in Scotland. Researchers stressed that some findings involving individual age groups and current users are based on small samples and should be interpreted cautiously.
Around one in 18 young people aged between 11 and 17 in Scotland are currently vaping, according to new Scottish Government research.
The latest figures found 5.6% of young people in the age group said they currently use vapes, while almost one in five – 18% – said they had tried vaping at least once.
The research, published on 11 August, is based on the Scottish results of the 2026 Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Smokefree GB Youth Survey.
The proportion reporting that they currently vape was 7.3% in 2025 and 7.4% in 2024. However, researchers cautioned that the differences between the three years were not statistically significant, meaning the survey cannot establish that vaping among young people has fallen.
Use increased sharply among older teenagers. Some 14.1% of 16-year-olds surveyed said they currently vaped, compared with 4.7% of 15-year-olds and 3.7% of 14-year-olds.
Among 17-year-olds, 11.1% said they currently vaped. More than a third of 16-year-olds – 38.3% – said they had tried a vape at some point.
The survey also found vaping was more common than cigarette smoking. Some 3% of those aged 11 to 17 identified as current smokers, while 15.2% said they had tried a cigarette.
Among the 46 current vapers identified in the survey, 14 were also current smokers and 12 said they had never tried a cigarette.
Friends appear to play a significant role in introducing young people to vaping.
Of the teenagers who had tried a vape, 76.1% said their first one had been given to them by somebody they knew – overwhelmingly a friend. Only 6.9% said they had bought their first vape from a shop and 1.7% had bought it online.
Regular users nevertheless reported relatively easy access to the products. Of the 46 current vapers surveyed, 32 said vapes were easy to obtain and only one said they were difficult to get.
Thirty-four current vapers said they usually purchased their products from what the report classed as a regulated outlet, although researchers warned that the number of current users in the sample was small and the results should therefore be treated with caution.
The research also provides an early indication of how young people’s habits have changed since the ban on single-use disposable vapes came into force in June 2025.
Rechargeable devices were used by 31 of the 46 current vapers surveyed – 69% – compared with 10 who reported using disposable vapes. In 2024, disposable devices had been the most commonly used type.
Fruit flavours remained particularly popular, with 33 of the 46 current vapers saying they used them most often. Taste was also the single most important consideration when choosing a vape among young people who had tried one.
Vape promotion remains highly visible to young people despite their age.
Among teenagers who were aware of vapes, 54.8% said shops were somewhere they had seen vape advertising, while 46.7% reported seeing promotions outside shops.
More than a quarter – 27.1% – had encountered vape promotions online. Among that group, TikTok was the most commonly reported platform, followed by Snapchat, YouTube and Instagram.
The findings come as ministers consider further restrictions on how vaping and nicotine products can be packaged, displayed and promoted.
The Scottish Government launched a consultation in July on measures intended to make the products less appealing to children and young people, following the passing of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026.
The 2026 youth survey included 767 respondents aged between 11 and 17 in Scotland. Researchers stressed that some findings involving individual age groups and current users are based on small samples and should be interpreted cautiously.