Got a light? The changing landscape of nicotine use in Ireland’s younger generations
It is no secret that nicotine habits are changing, especially among young people. Talking to both current and ex-smokers in older generations, you may hear stories of how they started smoking at 11 and 12 years old, hiding ‘round back of the shed at lunchtime in school. This may still happen today, but today you’re far more likely to see teenagers sporting brightly coloured vapes when they first give nicotine a try.
Vapes have been around for years. They initially hit the market as a smoking alternative and were widely used as such until recently. The first vape shop in Ireland opened in 2010, offering Irish consumers a way to reduce or even quit their tobacco use. Within a few years, e-cigarettes had gained popularity, and the industry began to be regulated. In 2016, the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) introduced regulations concerning nicotine strength, packaging and labelling, and marketing. Vapes were no longer allowed to be marketed to non-smokers or those under 18.
It was the early 2020s when vaping started becoming mainstream amongst young people. Before this, it was common to hear that a lifelong smoker was ‘giving it a go’ in an attempt to kick their habit. Pre-2020, friends might have expressed horror at the sight of a cherry-ice vape in your hand. This is no longer the case. A recent study by the TobaccoFree Research Institute Ireland showed that the number of children aged 15-16 taking up vaping without ever having smoked is increasing, from 50.2% in 2015 to 76.2% in 2024. Now, young people trying nicotine for the first time often bypass the tobacco products entirely, opting for the countless flavours that vape companies offer, which include fruit, cola, menthol, and even dessert flavours. Tobacco flavours are also obtainable but, predictably, they’re not very popular.
The shift in nicotine use is also influencing typical nightlife behaviour. As recently as five or six years ago, there would come a point in a night out where the group would retire to the smoking area. There would be crowdsourcing of lighters, filters, skins, and if one was feeling brave, whole cigarettes. The smoking area was the perfect environment to socialise, and it provided opportune moments for those DMCs (deep meaningful conversations) that often signified the beginning of the night’s end.
The smoking area was also the perfect place from which to source your paramour for the night. A classic technique involved the fluttering of eyelashes while asking for a lighter; a perfect excuse to strike up conversation with someone otherwise unapproachable. Is this pick-up line dying? You can bum a smoke, but surely it’s not acceptable to ask to bum a vape? You’d be surprised. It is, in fact, not uncommon to be asked to share electronic smoking devices with your peers. From ‘d’you have a spare smoke?’ to ‘give us a hit of your vape’, the changing nature of this question signifies a shift in the nicotine habits of younger generations.
In September 2026, the results of three studies were presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Barcelona, Spain. These studies indicated that the number of people who smoke has declined, but vaping has increased, particularly among younger demographics. They also found that people are beginning to smoke at younger ages. One of these studies, conducted in Ireland by the Tobacco Free Research Institute Ireland, examined how the smoking and vaping habits of Irish young people changed between the ages of 13 and 25. It showed an increase in both smoking and vaping as teens grew into young adulthood, with rates of smoking at 25% by age 25, and e-cigarette usage reaching 38%.
Alongside cigarettes and vapes, a new player has entered the nicotine game and is surging in popularity. These are ‘snus,’ small white nicotine pouches which are placed against the gum to release nicotine into the system. While actual ‘snus’ contain both tobacco and nicotine, these are typically only found in Sweden and are illegal in the UK and the EU. The products known as ‘snus’ in these regions only contain nicotine. Snus are popular for a number of reasons. Often jokingly referred to as ‘lip pillows’, a big selling point is that they are odourless and it is relatively difficult to tell if someone is using them. They are also significantly cheaper than both cigarettes and vapes. One snus can potentially have 20 times the amount of nicotine found in a cigarette, and experts have issued warnings due to their increased popularity. Considering the level of nicotine they contain, snus are contributing to high addiction rates. In May 2026, the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a ‘strong warning’ over the ‘global expansion of nicotine products’, particularly with regard to their targeted marketing towards young people.
As is typical with products new to the market, these nicotine pouches are yet to receive the stiff regulations usually imposed on nicotine products. Restrictions are also lighter because they don’t contain tobacco. The companies producing snus are not yet restricted from forms of advertising which some may consider egregious, and they are not yet banned from targeting non-smokers or those under 18. At Irish festivals last summer, there were several booths advertising these brands. Buy a pack of snus, or several, and receive a free branded tote bag, and even phone accessories (specifically ones popular among younger people).
With these new forms of nicotine, the once attainable hope of eliminating nicotine use in future generations seems like a lost cause. Vapes and snus are especially popular amongst younger people, and until harsher restrictions or even bans are put in place, they will likely continue growing in popularity. Is this simply the new status quo? Perhaps young people will never let go of their smokes and vapes, and now, their snus.
Written by: Kate O’Connor Shivnan
Edited by: Freddie Kagino
