Smoking in Ireland
18% of the population are current smokers, with 14% daily smokers and 4% occasional smokers. These figures are the same as those reported in 2021-2022. Smoking is higher amongst men (21%) than women (15%) and higher amongst those who are unemployed or have not completed the Leaving Certificate. 33% of the population are ex-smokers. 49% of those who have smoked in the past year have attempted to quit smoking, with 23% of this group successfully quitting smoking. 58% used willpower alone, 25% used e-cigarettes, and 19% used nicotine replacement therapy. 8% of the population currently use e-cigarettes either daily (5%) or occasionally (3%), with a further 12% reporting they have tried them in the past but no longer use them. In 2022, 6% were current users of e-cigarettes. A fifth (20%) of women aged 15-24 use e-cigarettes either daily or occasionally; the rate for men of the same age group is 16%. Source: Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking For further information and full references, click through to the detailed datasheets above.
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December 22, 2023 by irishexaminer.com
Ban on sale of vapes and e-cigarettes to children to come into effect from Friday
The ban on the sale of e-cigarettes or vapes to children in Ireland comes into force [...] the Government has announced. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly secured Cabinet approval for the move earlier this year. The measure was signed into law by President Michael D Higgins earlier this month. From then on, it will be an offence to sell a nicotine inhaling product to someone under the age of 18. The offence will carry a penalty of a fine of up to €4,000 and a prison sentence of up to six months. The new bill also contains a number of wide-ranging measures aimed at tackling the issue of smoking and vaping among adults.
December 21, 2023 by rte.ie
Government bans sale of vaping products to under 18s
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has announced the banning of the sale of nicotine inhaling products such as e-cigarettes to children. Mr Donnelly had secured cabinet approval earlier this year and the law will prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes (commonly referred to as vapes) to people under 18. The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill comes into effect from tomorrow. Under the new law, it is an offence to sell a nicotine inhaling product to a child.
December 18, 2023 by dublinlive.ie
Flavoured vapes ban 'needed now' as manufacturer urges stricter laws on e-cigs
A ban on flavoured vape products is urgently needed to stop them being targeted at underage users, a company which produces the products said yesterday. BAT Ireland called for confectionery, dessert and soft drink flavours to be proscribed to stop products appealing to minors. The company made the comments in response to the public consultation on vaping recently launched by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. A ban on flavours that target the underage are part of a range of measures being proposed by the company to make the industry more responsible.
December 06, 2023 by www.gov.ie
Minister for Health welcomes the passing of legislation banning sale of e-cigarettes to under 18s
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is today welcoming the completion of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill in both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Bill will now be sent to Uachtarán na hÉireann for signing. Minister Donnelly has asked officials in his department to immediately prepare the necessary Statutory Instrument so that the ban on the sale of nicotine inhaling products, including e-cigarettes or ‘vapes’ to under-18s will come into law before Christmas.
December 05, 2023 by independent.ie
Three-quarters of people support plan to phase-out tobacco sales in Ireland
More than three quarters of people in Ireland support a total phasing out of tobacco sales, eventually outlawing them from shops, a new poll revealed today. The dramatic move and timeline would mean that people born after a certain date would never be able to legally purchase cigarettes. The Ipsos data on the proposed bold crackdown was presented at a conference in Dublin organised by ASH Ireland and the Irish Heart Foundation, to examine a tobacco “endgame” for Ireland as well as the regulation of e-cigarettes.
December 04, 2023 by irishexaminer.com
'Challenging' to introduce tax on vapes, says Michael McGrath
Introducing a new tax on vapes will be “challenging” to implement, Finance Minister Michael McGrath has said. The Government intends to apply the levy on e-cigarettes as part of a public health response to vaping. “While the implementation environment is challenging, it does not undermine the intention to apply a tax as one tool in the overall public health policy approach to e-cigarettes,” the finance minister said in response to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe.
November 23, 2023 by independent.ie
Fewer people drinking alcohol but more smoking e-cigarettes, according to latest snapshot of nation’s health
Fewer people in Ireland are drinking since before the pandemic but smoking rates have not fallen and more are using e-cigarettes, according to a new national survey. The survey found that the prevalence of smoking is stable, the same as reported in 2021 - 2022 with 18pc of people as current smokers, 14pc smoking and 4pc occasionally. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is now to launch a public consultation on a proposal to increase the legal limit to buy cigarettes from 18 to 21.
November 06, 2023 by irishtimes.com
Vapes fuel generational change in nicotine addiction
A chara, – Following “Vapes may soon be taxed more heavily to discourage use among young people” (News, October 2nd), we further read “More than one in three young teenagers currently vape, research finds” (News, October 27th). The growth in youth usage of vapes, more correctly referred to as e-cigarettes, is of significant concern to health professionals involved in managing acute and chronic lung conditions. We are witnessing a generational change in nicotine addiction that mirrors the youth adoption of tobacco products decades ago.
October 05, 2023 by independent.ie
Ireland must follow UK and ban smoking for next generation, says charity
New plans to completely ban the sale of cigarettes to the next generation in the UK is a reminder of how far Ireland has fallen behind other countries, a charity insisted today. “We’re one of the last countries in Europe where it’s legal to sell vapes to children,” Director of Advocacy and Patient Support of Irish Heart Foundation Chris Macey said. [...] Irish children are seen vaping as there have been no age restrictions on the sale of e-cigarettes in the country. “Our Tobacco Free Ireland policy of reducing the smoking rate to 5pc by 2025 is going to fail by a margin of around half a million smokers,” Mr Macey said.
August 29, 2023 by imt.ie
HSE recalls e-cigarettes with illegal amounts of nicotine
The HSE has repeated a call to the public to stop using e-cigarettes that have been found to contain illegal amounts of nicotine. A total of five flavours of the McKesse brand of e-cigarettes have now been reported to the European Safety Gate, the EU’s rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products, for containing more than the permitted amount of nicotine, which is set at 20mg/ml. In some cases, nicotine values of more than 30mg/ml were found when samples were tested. [...]