Lack of laws around vaping in Ireland is ‘normalising’ the act of smoking to children

The Irish Heart Foundation has raised concerns over vaping being normalised in Ireland

Speaking to Newstalk about this issue, spokesperson Mark Murphy said: “If you’re a child or a teenager and you’re seeing people vape indoors, it’s renormalises the act of smoking.

“That’s probably the biggest concern as well.”

The HSE currently advises that vaping “may be less harmful” than smoking cigarettes, however, Murphy emphasises that this does not mean there aren’t clear health risks for those who do vape.

“It’s certainly not harmless,” he said. 

“There’s more and more research coming out that second hand exposure to vaping aerosoles is not harmfree. 

“Second hand aerosoles increase the level of particulate matter and nicotine in the air. 

“That definitely has an effect on second hand bystanders.” 

They decided to get the opinions of people on the streets of Dublin on the topic, and it’s clear there is awareness around the extent of the damage vaping can cause.

One woman even said she is finding it more difficult to give up vaping having given up cigarettes in the past.

“I’ve tried multiple times to get off these and it’s very, very hard,” she said. 

“I’m not going to lie to you, I admit, I do it everywhere - it’s really bad.

“You don’t have to have a big puff everywhere, just a little one and that keeps you going. 

“If I’m in the shops with my Mam and I’m like, ‘I’ve had enough of this’, I take a cheeky puff and no one knows.”

Under current Irish law, the sale of vaping products to anyone under 18 is prohibited and this applies to all e-liquids, vape kits, and nicotine-containing products. 

Retailers are required to verify the age of customers purchasing these products.