Vapers Welcome European Study Showing Decline in Teen Vaping and Smoking in Ireland
Government must enforce ban on vape sales to u18s to reduce youth vaping rates
Vapers across Ireland have welcomed the findings of a major European study that shows a significant 25% decline in vape use among Irish teenagers, alongside the lowest youth smoking rates recorded in the past 30 years. 
Ireland emerged as one of only six countries with the lowest reported lifetime use of vapes in the largest cross-national research project on adolescent substance use. Carried out by the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD*), 113,882 students aged 15–16 across 37 European countries were surveyed.
As we recognise World Vape Day on Friday, 30th May and World No Tobacco Day on Saturday, 31st May, these figures clearly demonstrate that vaping is not becoming a youth epidemic in Ireland.
Instead, we are seeing fewer teenagers using vapes and a continued decline in tobacco use. It’s clear that the ban on vape sales to under 18s has had an impact, but we need to see better enforcement if we’re to reduce youth vaping rates even further.
Respect Vapers said they support measures to prevent youth access to vaping products, but warned that proposals for an outright ban on flavoured vapes would be counterproductive.
Ken Heffernan, a supporter of Respect Vapers said nobody wants teenagers vaping and we support the new law banning the sale of vapes to under-18s. 
Vapers are urging the Government to acknowledge the important role that flavoured vapes have played in helping adult smokers quit. Over 200,000 people in Ireland have successfully stopped smoking with the support of flavoured vaping products.
By embracing flavoured vapes as part of a broader public health strategy, Ireland could save tens of thousands of lives, significantly reduce healthcare costs, and improve the well-being of future generations.
ENDS
About ESPAD: The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) is the world’s largest cross-national research initiative on adolescent substance use. Conducted every four years across more than 40 European countries, the 2023 ESPAD report includes responses from 5,587 students in 28 post-primary schools in Ireland. The Irish segment of the study was conducted by the Tobacco Free Research Institute Ireland on behalf of the Department of Health.
