Tobacco and Vaping

Tobacco and Nicotine products

Tobacco use is associated with a wide range of health problems, including lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases, and many other conditions. New forms of tobacco and nicotine products that are also harmful to health have come to market in recent years.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 8 million people die from tobacco use every year, with a further 1.2 million deaths annually from second-hand smoke.

Why are tobacco and nicotine products a public health issue?

Ireland and Northern Ireland are continuing to experience an epidemic of tobacco-related disease, disability and death. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths and preventable cancers across the island of Ireland, contributing to around 5,000 deaths in Ireland and 2,300 deaths in Northern Ireland every year.

Tobacco use not only harms the health of people who smoke, but also has significant negative effects on the health of non-users through exposure to second-hand smoke. There are also significant economic costs associated with tobacco use, including healthcare costs, lost productivity, and reduced quality of life.

The burden of tobacco-related harm falls disproportionately on certain vulnerable groups within the population, notably children, people living in social disadvantage, men and people with mental ill-health.

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) contain tobacco, which produce aerosols containing nicotine and toxic chemicals once the tobacco is heated or the device is activated.

Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, more commonly known as vapes, are the most common form of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENNDS).

Evidence suggests that these new forms of tobacco and nicotine products are harmful to health.

Support Services

If you, or a loved one, require help to quit smoking, the following support and information is available:

Ireland: Quit.ie
Northern Ireland: - Stop Smoking NI

Key Facts: Tobacco

Tobacco use among adults (16 yrs+)

Ireland: 18% of adults reported smoking (2022)

Northern Ireland: 17% of adults reported smoking (2021/22)

Ireland: Policy, Strategy, Legislation

Since becoming the first country in the world to ban smoking in public places in 2004, Ireland has committed to becoming Tobacco Free.

Tobacco Free Ireland Policy 2013-2025

Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025

Health Service Executive Tobacco Free Ireland Programme

Northern Ireland: Policy, Strategy, Legislation

In Northern Ireland, the following policies, strategies and legislation are in place to address tobacco-related harms.

10 Year Tobacco Control Strategy for Northern Ireland (2012-2022)

Mid Term Review Tobacco Control Strategy

IPH evidence review for mid-term review of 10 Year Tobacco Control Strategy

Recent work on tobacco and nicotine products

IPH uses new and emerging evidence and data to develop policy briefs and submissions that will inform public policy on tobacco control and the regulation of nicotine products in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Recent examples of our work include giving evidence to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health on the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019, contributing to a report by the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Policy Group on raising the minimum age of sale of tobacco from 18 to 21 years, and developing Tobacco 21 Mythbusters to debunk some of the myths that persist around tobacco.

Building on previous work in Northern Ireland, the Institute supported elements of the End of Term Review of the 10 Year Tobacco Control Strategy, including a stakeholder engagement report, and outputs focussed on second-hand smoke and mental health, which can be found here.

Read a 2023 summary of our work and activity on tobacco and nicotine products here.

Latest Tobacco and Nicotine products Resources

Tobacco and Nicotine products

Two hands and jigsaw peices

IPH response to the Joint Committee on Health and Children and members of the Northern Ireland Assembly on “Cross-border cooperation on healthcare”

Consultation Responses Parliamentary Engagement

1 Mar, 2012 - The Institute of Public Health in Ireland were asked to submit a paper on ‘Cross-border cooperation on healthcare’ for a joint meeting…

Alcohol Health Promotion Obesity Tobacco and Nicotine products

Wealth/ Health letter blocks

Your Health is Your Wealth – Public Health Policy Framework 2012-2020

1 Jan, 2012 - What would you like the public health policy to achieve? To set out strategic actions which will contribute to tangible improvements in…

Alcohol Chronic Conditions Health Inequalities Health Promotion Social Determinants of Health Tobacco and Nicotine products

Paper lungs in hands

Making Chronic Conditions Count: 5. Chronic Airflow Obstruction

1 Feb, 2010 - This piece of research is the fifth in a series of chronic conditions prevalence forecasting reports which IPH has produced. Previous…

Chronic Conditions Health Inequalities Tobacco and Nicotine products

Child in fresh air

Smokefree legislation consultation response (UK)

17 Sep, 2007 - The Institute of Public Health was established in 1999 to promote co-operation for Public Health on the island of Ireland. It aims to…

Health Inequalities Tobacco and Nicotine products

Office scene

DHSSPS Consultation on smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces

17 Mar, 2005 - The Institute of Public Health, funded by the Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland and the…

Tobacco and Nicotine products