The European Union (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016 came into force today, Friday May 20 2016, when new Minister for Health Simon Harris TD signed the Regulations transposing the Tobacco Products Directive into Irish law.
The Regulations focus on limiting the appeal of tobacco products, in particular to young people, and include measures for labelling, ingredients, tracking and tracing, cross border distance sales and the regulation of electronic cigarettes, refill containers, herbal products for smoking and novel tobacco products.
The Regulations include: a ban on cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco with characterising flavours such as fruit flavours, menthol or vanilla; a ban on tobacco products containing certain additives; A ban on any misleading labelling (such as “natural” or “organic”); increased size for combined health warnings and a requirement to place them on the front and back of the product; notification requirements for electronic cigarettes, refill containers, herbal and novel tobacco products, and a number of other electronic cigarette related measures.
The Minister welcomed the Regulations, saying; “These measures will further complement the tobacco control initiatives already in place and will help to drive down consumption of tobacco and protect public health. I also welcome the clarity provided on the regulation of e-cigarettes, which will give confidence to users in the safety and efficacy of these products”.
“In the area of tobacco control, I am delighted to hear that the UK Government has successfully defended their Standardised Packaging legislation in the courts. I look forward to progressing our Standardised Packaging Regulations in the near future”.
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Niall Swan
