Sale of vapes and e-cigarettes to children to be banned

By Rebecca Black, PA

The sale of vapes and e-cigarettes to children will be banned in Ireland.

The ban will cover the sale of nicotine inhaling products to those under the age of 18 from Friday.

From then, it will be an offence to sell a nicotine inhaling product to a child, with a fine of up to €4,000 and up to a six-month term of imprisonment.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said he was committed to bringing the move into law before Christmas, and thanked all for the support in passing the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act.

“In 2024 I will commence the remaining measures in the Act (such as around advertising, a licensing system and vending machines) and we will examine the results of our public consultation on the further regulation of e-cigarettes and on some innovative proposals in tobacco control,” he said.

Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Hildegarde Naughton added: “I look forward to the results of our public consultation on the options for the further regulation of nicotine inhaling products, particularly around flavourings and packaging.

“The protection of children is at the centre of our national tobacco control policy, Tobacco Free Ireland, and I welcome this major step forward in that direction.

“We know that young people who vape are more likely to go on to smoke, so it is important that they are not drawn to these products.”