HSE Ban Use Of E-Cigarettes In All Facilities

The use of e-cigarettes is to be banned in all health service facilities from 01 May, the Health Service Executive has announced.

From this date, the use of e-cigarettes will not be permitted in any HSE building or on any HSE Tobacco-Free Campus.

The HSE say that as the organisation responsible for health promotion and improvement, health protection and the prevention of illnesses and disease, they have "made a commitment that all its campuses will be tobacco-free by 2015."

Dr. Stephanie O'Keeffe, National Director, Health and Wellbeing, HSE said today: "The Tobacco Free Campus Policy helps to change social norms around tobacco use and actively encourages and supports people to quit smoking. The decision to ban the use and sale of e-cigarettes in HSE facilities follows a detailed review of their safety and the impact of e-cigarettes on the smoke-free campus policy. '

"The HSE can only recommend safe and effective products and strategies for quitting smoking, and there currently is no conclusive evidence that e-cigarettes are safe for long-term use, or are effective as a smoking cessation aid. While we will be keeping this emerging evidence under review, the e-cigarettes ban is being introduced now because e-cigarettes pose a challenge to smoke-free campus enforcement and come with safety concerns for a healthcare environment.'

"Smoking is the single leading cause of illness in our nation, responsible for a range of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancers, and for over 5,200 deaths every year. The Health Services are responsible for health promotion and caring for illnesses and disease. Ensuring that health service buildings and grounds are smoke-free is an integral part of our approach to reducing tobacco use and harm in Ireland."

(MH)