Ireland's Health Ministry Considers Banning Disposable E-cigarettes
Leave a message
Ireland's health ministry considers banning disposable e-cigarettes
Ireland's Department of Health is considering banning disposable e-cigarettes and raising the legal smoking age to 21.
Ireland's Department of Health is considering banning disposable e-cigarettes and raising the legal smoking age to 21. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said the government was also considering a series of legislative measures to crack down on vaping. The legislative process for new restrictions requires public consultation.
On March 29, 2004, Ireland became the first country in the world to ban smoking in the workplace, including bars and restaurants. Since the workplace smoking ban was introduced, smoking rates have dropped from 27% in 2004 to 18% in 2023. This means there are 800,000 fewer smokers in Ireland and many lives saved. Since then, 74 countries have followed Ireland's lead and banned indoor smoking.
Last year, the Irish government banned the sale of e-cigarettes to teenagers under 18. The health secretary said enforcement teams will now test shops' compliance with the sales ban on children aged 15-17, and further steps will be taken to target e-cigarette advertising in areas such as cinemas and public transport.
In addition, Ireland's health minister said that legislation is currently being drafted to target the marketing of e-cigarettes in stores, adding: "We are looking at the impact of e-cigarette flavours, and we are also looking at packaging."
