According to a report by Mayo News on July 27th, a survey conducted by Irish polling agency Ipsos revealed that 64% of respondents support a ban on the sale of disposable e-cigarettes. Only 28% oppose this measure, while 8% remain undecided.
The disposable product industry is experiencing rapid growth in Ireland.
Previously, the Irish government announced a public consultation on e-cigarettes, and the findings of these investigations were released prior to the conclusion of the public consultation.
Mark Murphy, Advocacy Manager for the Irish Heart Foundation's Environment Health and Tobacco, stated:
This indicates that the public is aware that disposable e-cigarettes pose risks not only to health but also to the environment.
Mark added that only by completely banning all forms of disposable e-cigarettes can we prevent "a generation of young people" from becoming nicotine addicts.
He states that in 2019, 18.1% of adolescents admitted using e-cigarettes, but since the introduction of disposable e-cigarettes, this figure is expected to soar.
The majority of teenagers support the ban on the sale of disposable products.
During the period from July 3rd to 15th, over one thousand adults aged 15 and above participated in a survey conducted by Ipsos. The survey revealed that 57% of individuals aged 15 to 24 support the ban on disposable e-cigarettes, while half of those aged 24 to 35 share the same perspective.
The majority of participants from all other age groups involved in the survey also agree with the cessation of selling disposable e-cigarettes in Ireland.
A study conducted by the Health Research Council reveals that teenagers who use e-cigarettes are three to five times more likely to start smoking compared to non-users.
Mark added that a recent study conducted by the anti-smoking organization "Action against Smoking and Health" earlier this year revealed that 69% of teenagers in the UK are using disposable products, a significant increase from the 7.7% recorded in 2020.
He said:
It is highly probable that a similar situation might arise in this country (Ireland) as well.
Ireland lacks spaces to accommodate disposable e-cigarettes.
The charity organization's submitted documents also emphasized the environmental hazards of disposable e-cigarettes, as these products cannot be recycled and contain plastic, copper, and lithium batteries.
Mark continued to say:
Ireland simply has no place for disposable e-cigarettes, and it is imperative that we ban them immediately. They are fueling the rise of youth e-cigarette use and nicotine addiction, while also damaging our planet. These disposable e-cigarettes are designed to be trendy, fashionable lifestyle products, making them highly appealing to young people.
Furthermore, Mark himself takes an anti-e-cigarette stance, as he believes that the design of e-cigarettes enables young people to easily deceive their parents and teachers.
Ireland has been at the forefront of workplace smoking bans, but in the battle against tobacco addiction, we are rapidly losing our advantage. We must not allow a generation of young people to become addicted to nicotine.
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