Latest figures from Healthy Ireland on smoking and vaping.

The latest survey from Healthy Ireland has just been published. This year’s survey shows smoking is steady at 18% with 14% daily smokers. This is a small increase from the lowest prevalence of 17% in 2019. Ecig use fell to 3% in this year’s results from 5% in 2019.

Can we say that the concerted campaign against e-cigs by tobacco control in Ireland has caused this? Maybe not. We can ask why the U.K smoking results for 2021 at 13.3% for smoking and e-cig use at 7.7% is so much better than ours and if the difference in policy towards vaping has been a factor.

“The decrease in the proportion of current smokers may be partly attributed to the increase in vaping and e-cigarette use. Data from the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey (OPN) have shown regular use of a vaping device has increased in 2021 and the highest usage was among those aged 16 to 24 years.”

There it’s seen as a good thing.

Mark Murphy, Advocacy Officer, at The Irish Heart Foundation, had this to say about the Irish figures;

“Moreover given the gateway effect that e-cigarettes pose to eventual smoking, the fact that those under 25 years of age are the highest users of e-cigarettes is concerning”.

That’s from the IHF reaction here Young people highest users of e-cigarettes

Luke Clancy of the Tobacco Free Research Institute of Ireland described the UK policy as ‘stupid’ on the radio recently. Who looks stupid after today’s figures?

None so blind as those who will not see.