Ireland to continue monitoring e-cigarettes

Ireland’s Department of Health has said it will continue to monitor evidence on the harms and benefits associated with the use of electronic cigarettes, according to a story by Elaine Edwards for the Irish Times.

The department was responding to the results of a study published yesterday by Public Health England that said electronic-cigarette vapor was 95 percent safer than was traditional-tobacco-cigarette smoke.

The Department of Health and Children said that though electronic cigarettes did not contain tobacco, they did contain nicotine, which it described as ‘a highly addictive substance which is the driver for cigarette smoking’.

‘Hence, there are legitimate concerns about the public health benefits of allowing such products to exist without regulation,’ the department said in a statement.

‘Because they are a relatively recent product there is limited scientific information available to balance the potential harms and benefits that might arise from more widespread public use.

‘Against that background, and whilst more research is awaited on the harms and benefits, there is a need to ensure that there is some regulation of e-cigarettes.’