The sale of vaping products to people under 18 will be banned under plans approved by the Cabinet today.
Previously, there had been no mandatory age restriction on the sale of e-cigarettes in Ireland. However, an evidence review by the Health Research Board recently found that children who vaped were five times more likely to start smoking.
The newly approved Public Health Bill will see a number of measures aiming at tackling this issue as well as the "unacceptably high" 18 per cent smoking rate in Ireland. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said: "We have all seen the rise in popularity of vaping and especially among our young people.
"Our research tells us that vaping among adolescents increases the likelihood that they will later smoke. Our Bill is designed to intervene at each phase of the process through which these products are sold.
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"We will ban the sale of nicotine inhaling products to our children and introducing further restrictions of the advertising of those products so that our children are not exposed to messages glamourising their use." The Government will also introduce a strict licensing system for the retail sale of tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products.
Self-service sale of tobacco products and vaping products will also be prohibited. The Department of Health will also be aiming to limit children's exposure to messages normalising these cigarettes by banning advertising of nicotine inhaling products around schools and on public transport.
The sale of tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products at events for children will also be banned. The Bill will also provide additional enforcement powers to the Environmental Health Service for measures in the Bill and for all previous Tobacco Control Acts.
The Health Minister added: "I am determined to continue to make the necessary legislative changes to confront smoking and vaping and help us all to make the healthy decision for ourselves and our families."
Separately, Micheal Martin has said the legislation banning the sale of e-cigarettes to children will help to improve their lives. Speaking as he arrived for today's Cabinet meeting, the Tanaiste said: "In many ways I see vaping as the revenge of the tobacco industry in terms of getting people hooked on nicotine again."
He added he has been "really shocked at the manner in which it has been marketed towards young people in particular" and explained the legislation is "important in making sure future generations of young people don't get attracted to vaping".
RTE reported the new legislation is expected to be enacted in July - from then on it will be an offence to sell a nicotine inhaling product to a person under the age of 18.
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