HSE warns people to return vapes with illegal amounts of nicotine

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

The HSE has warned the public against using two types of e-cigarettes containing illegal amounts of nicotine.

The products are Mc Kesse Blue & Razz Ice MK Bar 7000 Disposable and Mc Kesse Green Apple MK Bar 7000 Disposable, both with an expiry date of December 3rd 2023.

The HSE said the products were analysed and found to have a nicotine concentration up to 28.9 mg/ml, though the packaging stated it was 20mg/ml.

The HSE is warning people who have bought the vapes not to use them and to return them to the store they were bought in.

The EU’s alert system for non-food products deemed dangerous, the European Safety Gate, has been notified that the products contain nicotine levels above the permitted two per cent.

The HSE said it has also contacted major distributors of e-cigarettes and refill containers in Ireland about the issue.

Retailers who have these vapes in store are asked to remove them from sale and contact the HSE at info.tpd@hse.ie with product and traceability details.

If a shop has sold these vapes, a recall notice should be displayed in a prominent position in their shop and on their website and social media.

HSE regional chief environmental health officer Dr Maurice Mulcahy advised people to check the vapes they have to see if they match the ones in the alert.

“If you have any of these products, we want you to stop using it and return it to the shop where you bought it,” he said.

“We are also asking retailers to stop selling the products listed (above) and to contact the HSE with supplier traceability details.

“If retailers have sold or distributed any of the listed products below we want them to recall them by displaying a recall notice in a prominent position in their retail premises and on their website.

“This is the second RAPEX alert initiated by the Environmental Health Service in recent weeks. I therefore must remind manufacturers and importers of electronic cigarettes and refill containers (e-liquids), it is their responsibility to ensure that they fully comply with all legislative requirements.”

He added: “In cases where the Environmental Health Service establishes that products made available or placed on the market do not comply with legal requirements, we will not hesitate to exercise our legal enforcement powers.”