Vaping helps British American Tobacco reach over 20 million cigarette-free customers

Vaping can help people give up cigarettes but its appeal to young people has stoked controversy (PA)

(Picture: PA Archive)

The number of people vaping and using other forms of smoke-free products at British American Tobacco has passed 20 million as the FTSE 100 company continues to seek out a future beyond the cigarette.

BAT said 2.1 million more people were using its “non-combustible” range -- which include tobacco heating products as well as vapes and snuff -- taking the total number of customers around the world to 20.4 million.