Survey shows a flavoured vapes ban will push vapers back to smoking
Majority of vapers against an outright ban on flavoured vapes
Ban will create black market for unregulated products
A new survey reveals that 96% of vapers in Ireland would not favour an outright ban on flavoured vapes.
The research, conducted by Red C in March 2022, also found that just over half (54%) of those surveyed said they don’t believe there should be any kind of ban.
84% of vapers believed a flavours ban would create a black market for the products, while a majority (59%) said they would source the products abroad or online.
Almost half of those surveyed (46%) said they would stop vaping altogether if a ban was introduced, with just over 4 in 10 vapers, who were ex-smokers, saying they were likely to go back to smoking if a ban was introduced.
All vapers surveyed acknowledged the important role vaping had in helping them reduce the amount they smoke or quitting altogether and that vaping had been more effective in helping them do this, compared to other means like patches and gum.
The independent survey highlighted the serious impact a ban on flavoured vapes on those who are trying to quit smoking.
It would be wrong of the Government to introduce a ban on flavours because of its misguided belief that they are a gateway to teen smoking.
This myth has been put to bed by the recent international research, confirming that vaping was not a gateway to cigarette smoking for teenagers and ruled out suggestions that young vapers were prone to taking up smoking.
Even though more than half of vapers have tried a sweet flavour and around half have tried a beverage flavour, only a very small proportion claim to use these flavours on a regular basis.
Tobacco is more frequently used by men (42%) and those aged over 35 (50%).
While taste is a big driver of appeal, the use of flavoured vapes is acknowledged by nearly all ex-smoking vapers as a means of staying off cigarettes.
This research comes as the Oireachtas Health Committee is drafting a report on vaping for the Minister for Health following Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Public Health Bill.
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Note to editor: RED C conducted an on-street face-to-face survey of n=221 people that regularly use vaping products (at least once a week or more often) in the city centres of Dublin, Cork and Galway over the period Friday 4th to Monday 7th March.
Commissioned by Respect Vapers, which represents over 200,000 people who vape in Ireland, the survey covers questions on their vaping behaviour, the use of vaping flavours and views on how they may react to a ban on flavoured vapes.
