IRISH Rail has confirmed that electronic cigarettes are now banned from all its DART and train services.
The company says it made the decision following complaints from passengers, even though there’s no evidence the devices cause any harm to anybody standing close to those using them.
“The policy has only recently been introduced and we’re doing posters up at the moment to let passengers know,
? said spokesperson Jane Cregan.
“The posters will be displayed around stations and we’ll also have announcements on board telling passengers that the use of electronic cigarettes or any smoking devices is not permitted on our services.
“We had a lot of feedback from passengers who didn’t like people
‘vaping’ or using e-cigarettes beside them. They weren’t happy with the smell with what was coming out of them.
“Also, there’s still unanswered questions about what comes out of these devices so we just made the decision that we don’t permit it on any of our services or at any stations under cover.
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Last week it was reported that sales of electronic cigarettes or e-cigs soared by nearly 500 per cent in the last year, while sales of regular cigarettes fell by four per cent.
Electronic cigarettes deliver a nicotine hit without the tar and cancer-causing chemicals of conventional cigarettes.
However, critics say more research needs to be carried out on the devices before they can be considered totally safe.
In Ireland the Department of Health has been examining how to regulate them and the EU has included new rules designed to ensure their safety and quality in its new Tobacco Products Directive.
Several countries have banned use of the devices in public buildings and spaces but users, or vapers as they’re often called, say vaping is less harmful than cigarettes and causes little, if any, discomfort to those around them.