'I bought them for the flavours, now I'm buying for the nicotine': The addictive allure of vaping

Big strides have been made in recent years to reduce the appeal of smoking, but now young people are being sucked in by the vaping phenomenon, despite uncertainty over the health risks

Patrick Portley from Newcastle West: 'I have tried quitting and to be completely honest if you can avoid vaping at all costs you should... Go cold turkey on the fags or get the patches.' Picture: Brendan Gleeson

With flavours ranging from strawberry ice cream and cola to pink lemonade and blueberry, disposable vapes have taken the nicotine industry by storm, becoming the newest accessory in many a young person’s fist.

With an average retail price ranging from €7 to €9, and a colourful, enticing appearance, disposable vapes are designed to appeal to young people, luring them in with an appetising flavour range. And once people start to vape, the addictive quality of nicotine makes sure many of them continue the habit, or progress to cigarette smoking

According to figures from the 2019-2020 drugs and alcohol survey carried out by the Health Research Board, the most up-to-date available, e-cigarette use is about twice as common as tobacco smoking among the population. Almost one in five of the survey’s respondents were current users of e-cigarettes.

And when it comes to our European peers, one EU-wide survey shows that 15-24-year-olds in Ireland are well ahead of the curve when it comes to trying vaping. A total of 29% of Irish people surveyed say they have tried a vape, compared to the EU figure, which stood at 14%.

Of those who answered yes to vaping, 73% of those in Ireland were smokers, compared to the EU figure, where 36% of respondents were smokers.

So with vending machines brandishing shiny disposable vapes in place of those formerly selling cigarettes, it seems any steps taken to reduce the grasp smoking had on our nation have been undone by the new vice in town.

But are they as harmless as manufacturers would like users to believe?

Health impact

According to a recent HSE study, the risks and negative health effects linked to vaping include nicotine dependence, injuries resulting from defective e-cigarette batteries, poisoning and exposure to toxins, and changes in how one’s heart, lungs, and organs usually work.

Irish Heart Foundation advocacy officer Mark Murphy said the research was “deeply concerning, as it saw an increase in current cigarette smoking associated with an increasing use of e-cigarettes”.

“Smoking is extremely harmful to health, damaging nearly every organ of the body,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the younger you are when you start smoking, the more likely you are to smoke for longer and die early from smoking. As such, it is critical that we do everything we can to reduce adolescent smoking rates.”

A study published in the Harvard Gazette last September revealed that chronic usage of e-cigarettes can result in “small airway obstruction and asthma-like symptoms”.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is difficult to generalise about the risks of e-cigarettes versus conventional cigarettes, as there are so many different products on the market, and their impact may depend on frequency of use and other factors. But some of the known effects of e-cigarettes are:

• E-cigarette emissions typically contain nicotine and other toxic substances that are harmful to users, and non-users exposed to them;
• They increase the risk of lung disorders and heart disease;
• Exposure of children and adolescents to nicotine can have long-lasting, damaging effects on brain development;
• Nicotine is highly addictive;
• There is a growing body of evidence that children who have never smoked but who use them are at least twice as likely to take up smoking later in life.

The WHO concludes that these products are harmful to health, but says is too early to provide a clear answer on their long-term health impact .

Environmental waste

The problem isn’t just one for individual users’ health, but also for the environment. Vaping, particularly the disposable vapes, designed to last on average 200-400 puffs, likened to 20 cigarettes, have contributed to a wider litter problem on the streets.

According to a recent study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, disposable vapes are comprised of “not one but three forms of waste”.

Many e-cigarettes are pod-based devices made with single-use plastic cartridges, some of which are largely non-biodegradable and poorly recyclable.

Similarly, disposable vapes contain electronic waste. These cheap devices are designed to last a short period of time and so are widely discarded on the streets, similar to cigarette butts.

However, one of the key components of the vape, the lithium-ion batteries, present a serious fire hazard if not disposed of correctly, and they are very difficult to recycle.

Getting them in young

Cork mother of three Caroline Daly, whose teenage son regularly vapes, believes they are a “cynical way for the smoking industry to ‘recruit’ new customers”.

“They add litter on streets and parks as many young people don’t want to bring them home to put in the bin,” she added. “They are pocket sized and sold at pocket-money prices so it’s easy for young people to have them at school and when they are out.”

She believe the sweet flavours used are a clever marketing ploy by the industry, who are grasping at straws to engage with a younger audience.

“The manufacturers are well able to pay for research to let them know what colours and flavours will appeal to young people so they can use them to try rebuild a decaying industry. They know exactly who cherry bubblegum and candy floss flavours will appeal to.”

The tobacco industry was put on the back foot in this country following the introduction of the smoking ban in 2004, spearheaded by then health minister Micheál Martin. The pressure was on to devise new products to get a new generation hooked and maintain their healthy profits.

The vape allowed smokers to enjoy their nicotine fix discreetly in public areas.

“The excellent smoking in enclosed public places ban and other health campaigns have impacted on the tobacco industry, so they are selling vapes at pocket money prices,” says Caroline. She believes young people choose to ignore the negative health implications linked to vaping, believing it does not affect them at such an early age.

“Teenagers just don’t want to give much thought to the fact that it might have negative consequences for them in 20 or 30 years’ time.

“That concept doesn’t seem real to someone who is only 15. And if you have good health anyway, due to being young, then you might not notice any ill effects at first so you can fool yourself into thinking you’re invincible.”

According to an Oireachtas report, e-cigarettes currently face fewer restrictions, as they are considered consumer products in Ireland. However, the Government has promised to increase taxes and improve the regulation of e-cigarettes.

Some of the proposed changes include a targeted taxation regime to specifically discourage vaping and e-cigarettes and the introduction of a ban on sales of nicotine-inhaling products to people under 18 years of age.

Wrapped in bright packaging and promising flavours such as bubble gum and lemonade — vapes are clearly aimed at enticing younger people. Stock picture

They also aim to restrict the types of retailers who can sell these products, with the creation of a licensing system for nicotine items.

Additionally, the Government hopes to put a stop to advertising of nicotine-inhaling products, including e-cigarettes, around schools, on public transport and in cinemas, all of which are places that young people frequent. 

The Irish Examiner understands that some shops have exploited the legal ‘grey area’ that exists surrounding the sale of vapes.

“I went to one store at lunchtime on a Wednesday for a look and there was a constant stream of very young-looking teens in uniforms buying vapes,” Caroline said.

“Another vape shop had a sign up where they were wishing a happy 16th birthday to their ‘customer of the month’”, she added.

The Vapers

One young vaper, a 22-year-old college student whose vaping habit on nights out escalated into a full-blown addiction, blames stress caused by her final year in college.

“It wasn’t until I returned to college after summer that I started picking it [the vape] up a bit more, buying a few more a week. Then at that point, college became quite stressful, so I just found that they were convenient because they didn’t smell, they were cheap, they fit in your hand — they fit in your pocket.”

The sports fanatic recalls feeling shortness of breath following strenuous workouts, and fears this breathlessness may be exacerbated by her vape use.

“If it’s anything like smoking cigarettes I can only assume the worst.”

The Connacht native says she thinks it is “unfortunate” that vapes were introduced.

What was initially seen as a “harmless piece of plastic” is “probably going to affect a whole generation in the next 10-20 years, if not sooner”, she said.

“I do think for that reason they should be taken off the market and especially for teenagers, the way they’re marketed. They smell nice, they’re nice colours, they’re less than a tenner,” she adds.

She regrets taking that first pull, saying it is a pity it has gotten this far, as she works through numerous disposable vapes a week.

She believes that, like her, many other vapers were drawn in by the appealing flavour range. 

“I think I wouldn’t have started vaping if there weren’t nice flavours on the market or I wouldn’t have picked it up as much as I did but I think I’ve gotten to a point where it’s not just the flavour now.

“I’m buying one every few days and it’s probably the nicotine in it and other chemicals that’s making me drawn to them.”

Patrick Portley, who is 23, began socially smoking with friends aged 13, before transitioning to the e-cigarette at 16.

Patrick describes his transition to vaping as one fuelled by convenience, describing the habit as easier and cheaper than regular cigarettes.

“You can’t really smoke inside in a pub or in a house or at work, but you can kind of get a cheeky vape in anywhere.”

The Limerick man admits he is aware of the negative health implications, noticing some physical symptoms after using his vape for a period of time.

“If I was to not drink much water or go a while without eating, I would definitely notice a proclivity for headaches and an upset stomach, same goes for many of my friends who also vape and it’s been that way since we all started.”

The discreet nature of vaping — in comparison with the strong odour associated with cigarette use — is a point echoed by many,

Patrick lists this as one of the pros, saying: “The fact you could take a puff off a vape on a bus, at a bar, in work in the bathrooms or just sitting at home watching telly and you’re not gonna stink up the place or need to tap ash anywhere”.

And at just €25 for a reusable vape that lasts him a full month, there’s little question about why so many are opting for the cost-efficient vape over the classic box of cigarettes.

“You can have a fag every 45 minutes and be satisfied but with the vape, you could be hitting it non-stop for an hour and still not be finished,” Patrick added.

He realises, though, that he’s “trading one vice for another”.

“I have tried quitting and to be completely honest if you can avoid vaping at all costs you should.

“Go cold turkey on the fags or get the patches. With the vape you’re trading one vice for another and I’m twice as addicted to the vape than I ever was to the fags.”