A specially designed vape introduced in prisons across England and Wales has been credited with helping cut fires by 46 per cent, as officials in Ireland consider whether vaping could also reduce prison staff exposure to second-hand cigarette smoke.
The developments offer an unusual example of prison authorities using vaping to deal with two separate problems created by smoking and nicotine use behind bars.
In England and Wales, the Moja Safer Vape Pen was developed after prisoners were found to be dismantling ordinary vape devices to reach heating elements that could be used to start fires.
Meanwhile, at Wheatfield Prison in Dublin, officials investigated a specially designed British prison vape after air testing found nicotine levels close to the occupational exposure limit in areas where staff had complained about second-hand smoke.
Vape-related fires fall sharply
Prisons in England and Wales have been smoke-free since September 2018, with vapes available to prisoners as an alternative to cigarettes. A government review published this year says vaping has become the preferred option for many prisoners who previously smoked.
But ordinary vape pens created an unexpected safety problem because they could be taken apart and their heating elements used to ignite deliberate fires.
HM Prison and Probation Service worked with vape manufacturer Moja to develop a device specifically for prisons. Officials told a House of Lords inquiry that the pen is designed to disintegrate when prisoners try to tamper with it to reach the hot coil.
The product was rolled out across the prison estate following trials during 2025.
Ministry of Justice evidence submitted to Parliament said the Safer Vape Pen had contributed to a 46 per cent reduction in overall prison fires between May 2025 and May 2026. Around 95 per cent of prison fires are believed to be started deliberately.
The decline in vape-related fires has been even more pronounced. The House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee heard that just 36 vape-related fires had been recorded in the first five months of 2026, compared with 2,034 during the whole of 2025.
Prisons minister Lord Timpson told the committee: “The fall in vapes starting fires is really good news.”
He added: “Personally, I do not think vaping should be banned in prisons, but we need to keep looking at it.”
Ireland considers its own prison vape
The issue facing Ireland is different. Staff at Wheatfield Prison in Dublin had raised concerns about breathing second-hand cigarette smoke, prompting the Health and Safety Authority to investigate air quality.
Independent nicotine sampling was commissioned at three locations where officers had reported problems. Testing found levels were only 4.1 per cent below the occupational exposure limit, according to records obtained under Freedom of Information by the Irish Examiner. Similar testing in 2023 had also found levels only marginally below the limit.
The Irish Prison Service introduced a smoking cessation programme at Wheatfield and considered reducing the availability of tobacco and vape products in prison shops.
Records obtained by the Irish Examiner show officials had also contacted counterparts in Britain about a vape developed specifically for prisons. The product was designed to offer safety advantages in custody and used a modified e-liquid formulation intended to produce less vapour.
The documents don’t establish whether it was the same Moja Safer Vape Pen now being used across England and Wales.
Wheatfield had already upgraded its ventilation system in response to staff concerns, with fans used to help clear the air before prisoners were unlocked from their cells.
Prisoners were also moved towards a single approved vape product, while officials considered ending designated “tobacco days” in prison shops and further reducing the range of tobacco and vape products available.
Vaping becomes part of prison harm reduction
The UK experience shows why prison authorities have been reluctant simply to remove vapes.
England and Wales began introducing vaping products as prisons moved towards becoming smoke-free, partly to give prisoners who smoked a practical alternative. Government policy continues to provide for vaping and nicotine replacement therapy alongside smoking cessation support.
The original vape devices subsequently became a major source of ignition for deliberate fires, prompting the prison-specific redesign rather than a return to cigarettes or an outright vaping ban.
The Irish case presents the issue from another direction, with officials examining whether a more tightly controlled prison vape could form part of efforts to reduce cigarette smoke exposure while addressing security concerns.
Taken together, the two cases show prison services trying to manage the particular challenges of nicotine use behind bars by adapting vaping products rather than relying solely on prohibition.
