Respect Vapers, representing over 320,000 people in Ireland vaping to quit smoking, said that increasing the minimum smoking age to 21 risks being undermined by the Government’s new Vape Bill [The Public Health (Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2024].
The draft bill published by the Government last month proposes to limit vape flavours to tobacco only. The regulatory impact assessment which was published at the same time found that “there is a risk that the proposals could lead – at least in the short-term – to increases in smoking if there is a reduction in complete switching, or relapse in current vapers.”
According to Red C polling conducted by Respect Vapers earlier this year, 20% of vapers will go back to smoking if flavours are banned. This equates to 64,000 ex-smokers relapsing.
The regulatory impact assessment also stated that “there is currently a lack of evidence on the real-world effects of flavour restrictions on adult vaping use” despite the majority of our members depending on flavoured vapes to keep them off cigarettes.
Vapers in Ireland support any efforts by the Minister for Health to prevent young people from smoking, but warned that any achievements as a result of raising the minimum smoking age will be offset by the rise in the number of smokers caused by the new Vape Bill.
Ken Heffernan, a former smoker who quit 12 years ago with the help of flavoured vapes, says he hopes the next Government will adopt a proper approach to achieving a Smoke Free Ireland.
“We asked the Government not to kill off vaping, a major contributor to tobacco harm reduction, by banning flavours. While the Tobacco 21 Bill will hopefully stop young people from starting smoking in the first place, the Government has demonstrated that it doesn’t care if its new Vape Bill leads to a rise in smoking rates.
“Claims that there is currently a lack of evidence on the real-world effects of flavour restrictions on adult vaping use are simply not true. Over 160,000 smokers in Ireland have quit using flavoured vapes in Ireland. That’s real-world evidence, which is mirrored throughout Europe.
“Banning flavours will reduce the number of smokers who will successfully quit tobacco through vaping, leading to a negative impact on the Government’s Tobacco Free Ireland campaign. This in turn will put continued pressure on the health service to care for tobacco related illnesses,” he said.
Vapers throughout Europe believe there must be an incentive for smokers to switch to vapes and get off cigarettes. They urge the Government not to ban flavoured vapes, as this would confuse Irish people and make them think that vaping is as harmful as smoking.
Ken Heffernan
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