Ireland: Smokers' group blasts ban on e-cigs on hospital grounds

Thu 24th April, 2014

The smokers' group Forest Eireann has criticised the HSE's decision to ban e-cigarettes from hospitals and other health centres.

According to the HSE, e-cigarettes challenge the Smoke-Free Campus policy.

John Mallon, spokesman for Forest Eireann, said: "It may have escaped the HSE's notice, but vaping is quite different to smoking.

"There is no evidence that e-cigarettes are harmful to the user or anyone else, nor are they a gateway to tobacco.

"Nicotine may be addictive but it's no more harmful than caffeine. 

"E-cigarettes offer a nicotine delivery system that mimics the act of smoking, which is why they're popular with many smokers, but that's all.

"They offer a useful alternative to smoking and have helped many smokers quit.

"Banning e-cigarettes demonstrates a disturbing ignorance of human behaviour and is incompatible with the government's goal of a smoke free Ireland."

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