36% of young people between the age of 13 and 16 say that they currently vape.
Those same teenagers admit they never smoked prior to taking up the use of E-cigarettes.
New research, commissioned by Foróige Sligo, in partnership with the North West Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force and Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB, examines the impact that vaping products have on children and young people in Ireland through listening to their direct experiences of vaping.
‘What’s the Panic with Vaping?’ research examined the habits of children and young people in relation to vaping within a range of contexts.
The study looked at youth groups, post primary schools and teenagers' own individual perspectives resulting in almost 1,000 participants.
The research shows that across all age groups there is a link between a ‘cool’ identity and vaping use.
It also reveals that vaping allows some young people to feel among their friends.
Young people that took part in the study felt that the marketing of vapes directly targets them, with a “toy-like” attraction and display of the products in terms of flavour, colour, and personalisation.
10 to 12 year-olds within the study said they have experienced vapes openly displayed at convenient access points such as local shops and/or through their own social groups.
One participant, 17-year-old Anna, admitted “I know that I have an addiction… I just don’t think about it, I know it’s going to be hard to get off them…”
Josephine Lally, Community Works Social Researcher, commented “While many studies have amassed substantial medical and scientific evidence of the adverse impacts of vaping, the findings of this research present a stark reminder that listening to children and young people’s experiences needs to be included in future actions in addressing the issue of vaping.”
