Irish government approves ban on disposable vapes

The Irish government is moving forward with a plan to ban disposable vapes, following Cabinet approval on Tuesday of draft legislation proposed by health minister Stephen Donnelly.

The new laws would prohibit the sale, manufacture, and import of single-use vapes in Ireland.

In addition to the ban on disposable vapes, the legislation aims to outlaw a wide range of flavours, which the government believes are especially attractive to children. Reports suggest that as many as 15,000 different flavour combinations are currently available.

The proposed laws are also designed to limit marketing tactics that target younger consumers. There will be restrictions on point-of-sale displays and advertising, except in specialised stores that exclusively sell vaping products. Packaging and device designs will face new restrictions to prevent colours and imagery from appealing to younger demographics.

Ireland already bans the sale of nicotine inhaling products to individuals under 18, and further restrictions, such as advertising limitations, pop-up shop sales bans, and vending machine prohibitions, are set to take effect next year.