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10th September 2024
05:02pm BST
The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has proposed a ban on all disposable vapes in Ireland on environmental and public health grounds.
Donnelly has called for a ban on disposable colourful and flavoured vapes.
Donnelly said the colourful packaging should also be banned as it targets young people.
He proposed the legislation to the Cabinet today.
Donnelly's legislation would see a total ban on the sale, manufacture, and import of single-use or disposable vapes in Ireland.
He referred to them as a "scourge on the environment" and said they're littering our streets.
"There are public health concerns that the devices could be resulting in the release of toxic compounds into the environment.
"So-called single-use vapes are relatively inexpensive and are often an impulse purchase in shops and disproportionately used by younger people who often experiment with them."
The proposed legislation has been welcome by many including the Irish Heart Foundation.
The Irish Heart Foundation says this is a landmark day in the protection of children’s future health.
"Proposed legislation brought before Cabinet to ban disposable e-cigarettes, restrict child friendly flavours, introduce plain packs and prevent more forms of advertising, represent a vital response to Ireland's youth vaping epidemic," said the charity's Director of Advocacy, Chris Macey.
"Whilst many countries are moving to provide greater safeguards against the global targeting of young people by a vape industry led by Big Tobacco, these new laws could mean that young people in Ireland are among the best protected in the world," he said.
Mr Macy said there has been an explosion of young people vaping in Ireland in recent years.
"Minister Donnelly’s stance, supported by the Government, can have major long-term implications in sparing huge numbers of young people from the grip of nicotine addiction."
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