The HSE says it is going to ban the use of e-cigarettes in all health service facilities from next week.

From Thursday May 1, the use of e-cigarettes will not be permitted in any HSE building or on any HSE Tobacco-Free Campus.

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

The majority of public hospitals now operate smoke-free campuses, as do many primary care and administrative facilities, it points out.

Dr Stephanie O'Keeffe, the HSE's National Director, Health and Wellbeing, said 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," Dr O'Keeffe said.

"While we will keep this evidence under ongoing review, the e-cigarettes ban is being introduced as e-cigarettes pose a challenge to smoke-free campus enforcement and come with safety concerns for a healthcare environment," she added.

Dr O'Keeffe said 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," she added.

All HSE service managers nationwide have been informed of the e-cigarettes ban  and have been advised to implement the policy from May 1 2014.

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