Vaping Product Users’ Awareness, Perceptions and Anticipated Responses to Potential Changes Under the UK Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026

Abstract Recently-enacted UK legislation gives the government extensive regulatory powers over vaping products, including the ability to restrict the availability of non-tobacco and non-menthol vaping product flavours. This survey study assessed awareness of the legislation and the potential for flavour restrictions, and potential behavioural responses, among 3,148 UK vaping product users. The vast majority or participants were either former smokers using vaping products to maintain smoking abstinence (n = 2,839; 90.2%) or current smokers using vaping products to reduce cigarette consumption (n = 237; 7.5%). More than three-quarters of participants were unaware of the potential for flavour restrictions. Among former smokers, commonly reported responses included returning to smoking (n = 1,394; 49.1%), seeking out illicit flavoured vaping products (n = 692; 24.3%), or making their own flavoured vaping products (n = 295; 10.4%). Similar patterns were observed among current smokers. These findings challenge the assumption that vaping product users will readily transition to alternative flavours if preferred flavours become unavailable. Instead, they indicate that flavour availability may represent an important determinant of continued vaping of individuals who have moved away from smoking, with restrictions potentially destabilising smoking cessation trajectories.