Nearly one-third of current adult smokers have now tried electronic cigarettes (e-cigs), the first ever survey of their use by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) has revealed.

E-cig usage amongt non-smokers remains minimal, with only 1% ever having used them, the Health Survey for England 2013 also revealed.

The findings mirror those from a recently published report by the Office of National Statistics which showed that e-cigs are “almost exclusively used by smokers and ex-smokers”.

More women than men are choosing to give up smoking, with the number of female smokers having fallen from 24% in 2003 to 17% in 2013, while the number of male smokers fell from 27% to 24% over the same period, the Health Survey for England 2013 also showed.

The HSCIC is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department of Health.