Flavoured vapes ban will create black market for unregulated products, reveals study

While the problem of illegal vapes and underage sales still remains, the recent survey revealed that the ban on flavoured vapes would create a black market for the products which will add more burden on the vape industry.

A new survey revealed that 84 per cent of vapers believed a flavour ban would create a black market for the products and 54 per cent of the vapers are ready to source the products abroad and online.

The study, conducted by Red C, a market researcher in Dublin, was carried out through 221 face-to-face surveys last month. The survey found that nearly half of vapers would stop vaping altogether if a flavour ban was introduced. It’s believed more than 200,000 people are vape users in Ireland.

96 per cent of vapers in Ireland would not favour an outright ban on flavoured vapes, while 54 per cent of those surveyed said they don’t believe there should be any kind of ban.

All vapers surveyed acknowledged the important role vaping had in helping them reduce the amount they smoke or quitting altogether and that vaping had been more effective in helping them do this, compared to other means like patches and gum.

Joe Dunne, founder of Respect Vapers said the independent survey highlighted the serious impact a ban on flavoured vapes on those who are trying to quit smoking.

“It would be wrong of the Government to introduce a ban on flavours because of its misguided belief that they are a gateway to teen smoking.

“This myth has been put to bed by the recent international research, confirming that vaping was not a gateway to cigarette smoking for teenagers and ruled out suggestions that young vapers were prone to taking up smoking,” he said.

Even though more than half of vapers have tried a sweet flavour and around half have tried a beverage flavour, only a very small proportion claim to use these flavours on a regular basis.

Tobacco is more frequently used by men (42%) and those aged over 35 (50%).

While taste is a big driver of appeal, the use of flavoured vapes is acknowledged by nearly all ex-smoking vapers as a means of staying off cigarettes.

This research comes as the Oireachtas Health Committee is drafting a report on vaping for the Minister for Health following Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Public Health Bill.