Health Minister James Reilly received permission from the cabinet yesterday to introduce a system of licensing for tobacco retailers.
The new licensing system will replace the once-off registration fee currently required of tobacco retailers. It will require an annual payment and larger supermarkets will have to pay a higher rate than smaller stores, it has been revealed.
The decision is part of the Minister’s ongoing war against smoking, which will also see a ban on the 7,000 cigarette vending machines in pubs, clubs and hotels nationwide, as well as a prohibition on the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. Retailers who violate this legislation will be named and shamed.
A number of government departments will now discuss these matters in detail before the new legislation is drafted. Government examinations of the health impact of e-smoking and other nicotine products – which are currently underway – will also feed into the new legislation.
Tobacco retailer licensing has been on the cards for some time now, and recently the CSNA released a statement condemning it as another blow to retailers in Ireland and advising the government against “the imposition of any additional costs to our members.”
© 2014 - Checkout Magazine by Conor William O’Brien
