The Government “hasn’t done enough to protect young people from vaping”, the Irish Heart Foundation has claimed. 

The number of people vaping has surged in Ireland in recent years and one study last year found that a third of teenagers between 13 and 16 vape but have never smoked. 

According to the HSE, vaping “may be less harmful” than tobacco but they also caution that it is “not harm-free” and scientists are not yet fully aware of its long-term impact.

Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Irish Heart Foundation spokesperson Chris Macey said they are increasingly worried that more and more young vape users will end up addicted to nicotine. 

“Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the planet,” he said. 

“There’s been an explosion in the use of vaping; the latest figures are saying almost a quarter of 15 to 17-year-olds are now regularly using e-cigarettes and we just need to do more to protect them from becoming trapped into lifelong addiction. 

“We know a lot of young people want to quit vaping and quit services are getting a lot of calls from young people seeking help.” 

A teen vaping on the street. Image: Steven Gill / Alamy

Mr Macey said youth information website Spunout has been getting “thousands of views” on their how to quit vaping page on their website. 

“We’re also getting a lot of calls ourselves from schools, sports clubs and parents who say they want more information and young people that they know also do,” he said. 

“We know this can work; there’s a programme in the US called ‘This is quitting’ which has helped three quarters of a million teenagers and young people to quit vaping. 

“Research shows that it can increase quit rates by 35%.”

A man holds a range of disposable vapes. Image: Ian Davidson / Alamy Stock Photo

Last year, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly banned the sale of vapes to under-18s but Mr Macey said he fears Ireland is behind the curve on the issue.  

“Up to now the State hasn’t done enough to protect young people from vaping,” he said. 

“We were one of the last countries in Europe to ban the sale of vapes to children and we think that part of upping our game has to be to help young people to quit before they become fully gripped by an addiction that can have lifelong consequences.” 

Mr Macey also called for more research into how those looking to quit can be helped. 

“Quit smoking services are different to quit vaping - because of the age of the people involved, for example, and the different platforms that you need,” he said. 

“We also want the HSE to undertake a multiannual awareness campaign because not enough young people are aware of the potential harms of e-cigarettes and the highly addictive nature of the product.

“There’s other things that we want; we want a ban on child-friendly flavours, a ban on all advertising of vapes, we want plain packaging and we want disposable vapes to be banned.

“The Government has promised action on this and we do think they’re getting their act together on it and we very much hope that something happens on this very soon.” 

Anyone who sells a vape to a child risks a €4,000 fine or a prison sentence of six months.

Main image: A schoolboy vaping. Picture by: Alamy.com