Nearly 60 per cent of vapers primarily use vaping products to help them quit smoking

VBI welcomes new research which shows 95.5 per cent of vapers are ex or current smokers

Ireland’s largest vaping trade association, Vape Business Ireland (VBI) has welcomed the 2019–2020 Irish National Drug and Alcohol Survey which shows almost 60 per cent of Irish people who use vaping products, cited their primary reason for doing so was ‘to help them quit smoking’. The survey findings published by the Health Research Board (HRB) also reflect the fact that vaping products are mostly used by ex-smokers or current smokers.

Commenting VBI spokesperson, Eoin O’Boyle said: “Today’s findings are a strong indicator that Irish smokers are continuing to embrace vaping as a less harmful alternative, helping them move away from smoking. This supports what we know from previous Healthy Ireland research that vaping is the most used tool in switching away from smoking after will power alone.

“It is very positive to see that the main reason vapers surveyed started vaping was to help them quit smoking. This ties in with other evidence from Healthy Ireland and it is now time the Government took heed of vaping and the role it can play in tobacco harm reduction. Without embracing vaping, we will not reach the Tobacco Free Ireland 2025 goal of 5 per cent smoking prevalence.”

Mr O’Boyle added: “The HRB have also confirmed that youth vaping is not an issue in Ireland but VBI continue to push the Government to bring forward legislation to close the loophole and ban under 18 sales. Irish smokers are continuing to choose to make the switch from smoking to vaping, while our NGOs and health bodies continue to ignore the building body of scientific evidence supporting vaping as a less harmful alternative to smoking. This includes ongoing research by the Cochrane Library, Cancer Research UK, Public Health England and others.

“In the context of the forthcoming Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill, we are continuing to encourage Irish vapers to reach out directly to their locally elected representatives by email or across social media to highlight how vaping has helped them move away from smoking. It is fundamental that our politicians listen to the real-life stories of Irish vapers like those surveyed as part of this HRB research and that they objectively look at the evidence and the successful and pragmatic approach taken to vaping in other jurisdictions like the UK and New Zealand.”