According to an OECD report, Ireland has the fourth highest rate of vape use among young people in the EU, with more than 10% of young people aged 15-24 regularly using vapes, compared to an EU average of 2.7%.
According to ITV on December 26, a global report pointed out that the use of vapes among young people in Ireland ranks fourth in the European Union.
According to the OECD’s Health at a Glance report, which analyses health trends across the European Union, including health data for teenagers in Ireland. The report shows that tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, malnutrition, physical inactivity, and obesity are important drivers of disease burden and mortality in EU countries.
The report found that among 15-year-olds, Ireland has one of the lowest smoking rates in the EU at 7 percent. Regarding the use of vapes, the report said they could be a “potential smoking cessation tool” but could also “lead to smoking, especially among adolescents.” Data for 2022 shows that more than 10% of young people aged 15-24 and more than 5% of adults regularly use vapes in Ireland, compared to the EU average of 2.7% and 2.1% respectively.
Ireland’s public health minister Colm Burke said,
- “Ireland has long been a world leader in reducing smoking rates and we are also working towards our vision of a smoke-free Ireland, including raising the minimum age for tobacco sales to 21.”
