HSE launches new national youth vaping and nicotine prevention campaign

The HSE today launched a new youth vaping and nicotine prevention campaign at Presentation De La Salle College in Bagenalstown, Co Carlow.

This new campaign highlights the risks of youth vaping and nicotine use and was launched by the HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, and Minister for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD, school students, teachers and doctors.

Vaping can lead to smoking or addiction to other substances. Children and young people are more at risk of the negative effects of nicotine which include problems with attention and learning, mood, impulse control and anxiety as well as problems sleeping and mental health difficulties, such as low mood. It can cause damage to your heart, lungs, teeth and gums, the developing brain and blood vessels.  Over time these risks may cause diseases such as heart disease, lung disease and cancer.

This campaign creates tailored messages for young people and complements the existing vaping campaign for parents and influential adults ‘Take a Deep Breath’ which aims to arm parents and influential adults with the facts about vaping, to help facilitate meaningful discussions. 75% of teenagers say that their parents are trusted sources of information on vaping.

The HSE conducted research with young people and their parents about vaping and nicotine product use to inform the campaign. For the first time, the HSE is working with content creators to share the message about vaping prevention and to explain that vaping is harmful and can impact your mental, physical and oral health.  Content Creators Kasey Campion, Jim Flanno, Zara Deasy, Daragh McGurn, Shauna Davitt, Ryan Mar, Sean Fitzgerald and Billykiss are working with the HSE to share this important message. The campaign uses a mix of organic social, paid social and creator-led content as well as expert led content.

On hand to help launch the campaign Kasey Campion, radio presenter and content creator, said:

“One of my biggest icks is vaping.  Why would we put something into our bodies when we don’t one hundred percent know the risks? I tried vapes on a few nights out when I was younger and thought it was pointless and not cool. I know a lot of younger people follow me, and I feel if I could go back and be a teenager again, I wish I had someone older to tell me not to try vaping.”

Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD, said:

“The Government is committed to protecting our children and young people from the harms caused by nicotine use. We are bringing in new laws that will protect our children from the harms of current and future nicotine products, marketed so very aggressively to children.

“We have already banned the sale of vapes to under 18s and will extend this ban to all nicotine products as well as introducing restrictions on vape flavours and packaging. I am also working with Minister Carroll MacNeill to introduce a complete ban on the retail sale of disposable vapes.

“These measures, together with our sustained efforts to increase awareness of the risks of vaping through innovative campaigns such as this one, will help to protect our young people from a life of addiction and associated harms.”

Martina Blake, HSE National Lead for Tobacco Free Ireland, said:

“Vaping use in young people under the age of 18 has increased in recent years and about 1 in 5 people under the age of 18 say they vape. Children and young people are more vulnerable and at risk of the negative effects of vaping and nicotine use. We have designed a campaign that speaks directly to young people about the risk of vaping, and to people who can make a difference and have an influence on young people such as parents and guardians, teachers and sports coaches. This campaign aims to contribute, alongside policy, to reversing these trends.”

Michael Hickey, Principal of Presentation De La Salle College, Bagenalstown, said:

“The Presentation De la Salle College school community welcomes the HSE’s new youth vaping and nicotine prevention campaign and the introduction of strong, national legislation that will ban the sale of disposable vapes and restrict how these products are marketed and advertised. Our school community and schools across Ireland are committed to educating our students about the risks and harmful effects of vaping and nicotine use.

“We thank Minister Murnane O’Connor, and all involved in this campaign for prioritising the health of our young people and helping our school communities to ensure that vaping has no place in the lives of our students.”

Two teachers at Presentation De La Salle, Paul Doyle, Carlow Senior Intercounty Hurler and Joe McDonagh Cup All Star who teaches Maths and PE, and English and Geography teacher Brian Doyle, who is Carlow County Minor Hurling Manager, see the effects of vaping on young people at school and in sports.

Paul Doyle said:

“As coaches, players and mentors we have spent years engaging with people at senior and underage levels, with our clubs, school and county. We have seen the negative impact that vaping and nicotine products can have. The health and wellbeing of the young people who we work with each day is a priority for us. Vaping and nicotine products are harmful and will continue to harm their performance, stamina and focus on and off the pitch.”

Brian Doyle said:

“This new campaign sends a powerful message that vaping and nicotine use and sport do not mix and that the use of these products undermines the ability of young people to perform and achieve their potential. Our job as coaches and mentors is to help young players make the right choices, that support their development. We want young hurlers, camogie players and athletes to channel their energy and focus into the good habits that sport encourages and promotes and to avoid nicotine and drug use that will harm them.”