The sale of disposable vapes is set to be banned after the Minister of Health Stephen Donnelly received approval to draft new legislation, RTÉ reported today.
The Nicotine Inhaling Products Bill aims to introduce further restrictions on nicotine inhaling products, including banning the sale, manufacture or import of single-use or disposable vapes in Ireland.
It will also limit vape flavours to tobacco, with provisions for the list of allowed flavours to be amended pending new evidence.
Restricting flavours and colours aims to discourage young people from using and growing addicted to vaping products.
The move comes after the sale of vapes to under 18s was banned at the end of 2023.
‘Take Action’
Speaking about the proposed legislation and the impact of vaping on young people, Taoiseach and former Health Minister Simon Harris said, “I’m pleased that we will see proposals in relation to single-use vapes.
“We live in a country where around 13% of people between the ages of 12 and 17 have vaped in the last 30 days.
“We need to take action in relation to that.”
Point-of-sale display and advertising of vape products will also be banned in shops that do not primarily sell these products.
Minister Donnelly plans to introduce these measures on environmental and public health grounds.
‘Hurting Small Businesses’
Vape Business Ireland (VBI) has spoken out against the proposals, calling them “extreme” and urging the government not to “throw out the baby with the bathwater.”
The body further warned that the ban could lead quitters to return to smoking, as well as driving smuggling and cross-border sales.
VBI national spokesperson Paul Malone highlighted these issues, saying, “All the Government will be doing is hurting small businesses, and making it harder for people who are trying to quit smoking.”
In a profile with Checkout last month, Simon Carroll, the managing director of Hale Vaping, welcomed the introduction of the over-18s law but spoke of the need for sensible regulation within the industry.
“We need a licensing system that’s enforced and exclusively available to stores that are familiar with age-gated products,” he said.
“Over 18s is a great start, but it needs to be backed up and enforced with an effective licencing system being put in place.”
Carroll noted, too, that existing laws should be properly enforced to ensure regulation.
“You can introduce laws until the cows come home,” he said, “but if they aren’t enforced, they are pointless.”
