The Health Service Executive (HSE) has issued stark warnings about the potential health risks associated with vaping and an illegal tanning product known as the ‘Barbie drug’, highlighting emerging health concerns during a recent cancer prevention webinar.
Edward Murphy, the HSE’s Tobacco Free Ireland Programme manager, delivered a sobering message about vaping, cautioning that emerging research suggests e-cigarettes may pose similar cancer risks to traditional tobacco. “One of the disposable vapes particularly popular with children and young people is equivalent to about a 20-pack of cigarettes,” Murphy stated.
While acknowledging that vapes contain less tar than tobacco, Murphy emphasized that this doesn’t make them safe. “Everything is safer than combustible tobacco because we are talking about something that kills 50% of its long-term userbase reliably,” he said. The HSE official expressed concern that vaping might cause similar cancer-associated gene deregulations to those found in traditional cigarettes.
Dr. Emily Orr from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital raised additional alarms about melanotan, an illegal ‘Barbie drug’ used for tanning. “We just don’t know what they’re taking,” she warned, highlighting the dangers of an unregulated product widely promoted on social media. Dr. Orr strongly advised against its use due to potential links with melanoma, recommending safer tanning alternatives like tanning creams.
Alongside these warnings, Dr. Erin Stella Sullivan from King’s College London offered positive advice on cancer prevention through diet. Her recommendations include:
- Increasing fruit and vegetable intake
- Reducing red meat consumption to no more than three servings per week (350-500g)
- Limiting processed foods
- Avoiding sugar-sweetened drinks
According to The Irish Examiner, The HSE is urging young people struggling with vape addiction to contact their Quit Smoking helpline, emphasizing the importance of proactive health management.