Vapers’ response to Taoiseach’s view that vapes should be banned. Vapers who are quitting cigarettes are asking the Taoiseach to look at the facts on the role vapes have played in helping almost 200,000 quit tobacco.
A ban on flavoured vaping products threatens to dismantle decades of progress in Ireland’s public health strategy, risking thousands of lives in communities throughout the country by forcing ex-smokers back to lethal cigarettes.
The Taoiseach and his Government can’t turn their backs on a large number of communities in Ireland who have worked so hard to quit smoking and change our lives for the better.
Smoking continues to claim 6,000 lives in Ireland every year. Almost 200,000 adults have stopped smoking with the help of flavoured vapes. Removing vapes, that make quitting possible, risks handing a lifeline back to the cigarette trade while driving consumers into an unregulated, €220 million illicit vape market.
Ken Heffernan said a vape flavour ban, or an outright ban will cause havoc in the Irish health system. Red C Polling carried out by Respect Vapers last year found that a ban will push 58,000 vapers back to smoking.
“Ireland’s smoking rate has stalled at 18% since COVID, but the Government is trying to legislate vapes, the most effective tool it has to reduce smoking rates, out of existence.”
