Tag: Ireland

  • Ireland Introduces Licensing Fees to Combat Illicit Vape Sales

    Ireland Introduces Licensing Fees to Combat Illicit Vape Sales

    Starting February 2, 2025, Ireland will implement a new licensing system requiring retailers to pay annual fees to sell vaping and tobacco products. Retailers must pay €800 annually to sell vaping products and €1,000 for tobacco products, with tobacco-free nicotine pouches currently excluded from this regulation.

    The Health Service Executive will oversee compliance, conducting inspections to ensure adherence to the new rules. Licenses are subject to annual renewal, and retailers found in violation risk losing their ability to sell these products. Previously, selling tobacco required a one-time €50 fee, and no license was needed for vaping products.

    David Melinn, Country Manager at BAT Ireland, supports the licensing system, stating it will aid in enforcing the under-18 vape sales ban and prevent illegal vape sales. However, he expressed concerns over the exclusion of tobacco-free nicotine pouches from the legislation, hoping future amendments will address this oversight.

    The introduction of these fees is part of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023, reflecting Ireland’s commitment to regulating nicotine product sales and reducing underage access. The government anticipates that this measure will enhance public health by curbing the availability of illicit vaping products, particularly among youth.

  • ‘Ireland’s Vape Tax Puts Smokers’ Lives at Risk’

    ‘Ireland’s Vape Tax Puts Smokers’ Lives at Risk’

    Photo: Taco Tuinstra

    Ireland’s new tax on e-cigarettes is a setback in the fight against tobacco, condemning thousands of smokers to unnecessary premature death, according to international health experts.

    This week, the Irish government announced a levy of €0.50 per ml of e-liquid as part of its annual budget, adding €1.23 to the cost of a typical vape. This tax is far above the European average of €0.10 to €0.30.

    “Sweden is on the brink of achieving smoke-free status as a result of its progressive approach to safer alternatives like vaping. This contrasts sharply with Ireland’s approach, where smoking rates remain four times higher,” said Delon Human, leader of Smoke Free Sweden, in a statement.

    “Sweden’s successful policies, including lower taxes on safer nicotine alternatives, have helped reduce smoking and smoking-related deaths. In stark contrast, Ireland’s new levy will discourage smokers from switching to less harmful options, potentially keeping them addicted to cigarettes and condemning them to unnecessary premature death.”

    According to a recent Irish public consultation, only 10 percent of respondents supported increasing taxes on vaping above the EU average, while 39 percent warned that higher prices would push consumers to source products abroad.

    Through the promotion of safer alternatives like snus, nicotine pouches and vapes, Sweden has reduced its smoking rates by 55 percent over the past decade, resulting in a staggering 44 percent fewer tobacco-related deaths compared to the rest of the European Union.

    “By raising taxes on safer alternatives, Ireland jeopardizes its hopes of reducing smoking rates,” Humans said. “If Ireland truly wants to cut smoking and save lives, it should follow Sweden’s lead in promoting harm reduction, not penalize smokers for trying to quit.”

  • Campaigners Slam Irish Tax Hike

    Campaigners Slam Irish Tax Hike

    Image: alexlmx

    Campaigners slammed the Irish government’s decision to increase the excise duty on a pack of 20 cigarettes by €1 ($1.11) starting Oct. 2.

    The increase, which is double the usual increase of €0.50, will push the cost of a pack of 20 cigarettes in the most popular price category above €18, according to The Journal.  

    Simon Clark, director of the Freedom Organization for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco (Forest), described the decision as “brutal” and said law-abiding smokers were being “discriminated” against.

    “Smoking is a legitimate habit,” said Clark. “This brutal hike in the cost of cigarettes will drive more smokers to the black market and fuel illicit trade.

    “Law-abiding consumers, many of whom are on low incomes, will be unfairly discriminated against, and some may be forced further into poverty.

    “It’s hard to imagine a more punitive or counterproductive measure because the only people who will benefit are criminal gangs and illicit traders.”

    In addition to the cigarette tax hike, Ireland plans to introduce a tax on e-cigarettes from the middle of next year. The excise will place a fee on e-liquid at a rate of €0.50 for every milliliter.

    The average disposable e-cigarette has 2 mL of e-liquid and costs €8. The introduction of the new tax will increase the cost to €9.23.

    Minister for Finance Jack Chambers said it was not possible to introduce the fee this year due to operational and administrative challenges.

    Lobby group Respect Vapers has accused politicians of attempting to “raise funds on vapes rather than helping people use vapes to quit smoking.”

    The group pointed to a recent report by Healthy Ireland that said 25 percent of smokers who quit had used vapes and other studies that show the number of smokers in Ireland has reduced drastically in recent years.

  • Irish Minister Proposes Vape Flavor Ban

    Irish Minister Proposes Vape Flavor Ban

    Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly proposed bans on nontobacco vape flavors and advertising in nonspecialized shops, reports The Irish Times. He tabled the suggestions as Ireland’s cabinet approved restrictions on disposable vapes on Sept. 9.

    Donnelly said the proposals are aimed at protecting children. He believes companies are “very cynically” targeting children. The proposed legislation, he said, would see just one flavor, tobacco, being sold.

    “We live in a country where around 13 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 17 have vaped in the last 30 days,” said Taoiseach Simon Harris, who described vaping as “the revenge of the tobacco industry.”

    Minister of State for Public Health Colm Burke said the regulations are necessary because “many people who used vaping products subsequently moved on to smoking.”

  • Ireland to Raise Tobacco Sales Age

    Ireland to Raise Tobacco Sales Age

    Photo: Vasyl

    Ireland will to raise the minimum age for tobacco sales to 21.

    With the measure, the government hopes to accelerate the decline in adult smoking prevalence, which has plateaued at 18 percent for several years, and reduce underage smoking prevalence to zero.

    “My goal with this measure is to assist our young people to avoid a lifetime of addiction and illness from tobacco smoking. The modelling shows us that this measure will not only protect the targeted age group and but will also protect those under 18 as they will be less likely to be in social groups with 21 year olds who can legally purchase cigarettes,” said Health Minister Stephen Donnelly in a statement.

    “Countries around the world are looking at endgame measures for smoking. We are no longer regulating it; we are seeking to eliminate it from our lives and the lives of our children. I’m very proud that Ireland is continuing its tradition of leading the way on this issue, and today’s measure is another important step on our journey towards a tobacco-free Ireland.”

    Ireland will be the first EU country to raise the smoking age to 21. The measure will be phased in so that that those already entitled to be sold tobacco products—that is, persons over 18 but under 21—will not be affected.

  • Ireland to Raise Smoking Age

    Ireland to Raise Smoking Age

    Photo: RealPhotoItaly

    Ireland will raise the minimum legal age for buying tobacco from 18 to 21 under plans due to be approved by Cabinet on May14, reports The Irish Times.

    Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly is also drafting legislation to ban disposable vapes and restrict point-of sale-promotion of e-cigarettes.

    The legislation will reportedly include a grace period allowing those aged 18-21 to keep buying tobacco products until a yet-to-be-named date.

    Health officials are hoping that the age hike could also limit the social sources of cigarettes for children and young people as they may be less likely to be in social groups with people who can legally purchase cigarettes.

    Seventy-three percent of adults and 71 per cent of those aged 18-24 support raising the legal age to purchase tobacco to 21, according to a survey by the Irish Heart Foundation.

    In December, Ireland banned the sale of vapes under-18s.

    From this September, there will also be curbs on advertising on public transport and near schools as well as a ban on sales at events attended by children. A ban on the sale of tobacco and vape products from vending machines is also to be enacted shortly, while a new licensing regime will mean all shops selling these products will have to pay an annual license.

    About 18 percent of Irish adults currently smoke.

  • Ireland Mulls Single-Use Ban and Age Increase

    Ireland Mulls Single-Use Ban and Age Increase

    Photo: Timothy S. Donahue

    The Minister for Health in Ireland wants to raise the minimum age for smoking to 21, according to a local press report. He would also like to ban disposable vaping products.

    Stephen Donnelly said the government is also looking at a range of legislative measures “to come

    down hard” on vaping.

    He made the remarks at an event to mark the 20th anniversary of the workplace smoking ban in Ireland, which prohibited smoking in indoor commercial spaces.

    The process for legislating new restrictions, which involves a public consultation, is complicated by Ireland’s inclusion in the EU single market.

    Donnelly said he would personally recommend raising the smoking age and that legislation was being prepared in the event it was agreed upon at the government level.

    “It’s a measure aimed at people who are 15, 16, 17 years of age that—with a smoking age of 18—they find it relatively easy to go to either buy the cigarettes themselves or get a friend or an older sibling to get them.

    “But if you move to 21, it makes it much more difficult,” he said. The country raised the age to 18 last year.

    A public consultation will also examine issues such as banning disposable vapes and extending prohibited smoking zones to outdoor seating areas.

  • Ireland Prepares Vape Tax

    Ireland Prepares Vape Tax

    Image: Zerbor

    The government of Ireland is working to introduce a tax on e-cigarettes in 2025, reports The Irish Times.

    Finance Minister Michael McGrath confirmed that his department had started work with the revenue department to announce the tax in the next budget and introduce it next year.

    McGrath cited the vaping industry’s “insidious” targeting of e-cigarettes toward young people as justification for the tax.

    “There’s no doubt, but it is a deliberate policy,” he was quoted as saying. “In my mind, what is happening when you see all the attractive flavors and names, it’s definitely targeting young people and very successfully.”

    While acknowledging that e-cigarettes are helping some smokers quit more harmful combustible cigarettes, McGrath also noted that there are many unknowns about the long-term effects of e-cigarettes.

    He said it was important for the Department of Finance’s proposed tax to align with policies of other departments around e-cigarettes and vapes, such as the Department of Health and the Department of Environment.

  • Ireland: Illegal Factory Shut Down

    Ireland: Illegal Factory Shut Down

    Photo: Stephen

    Irish Revenue and Customs officers, in cooperation with the national police service, shut down an illegal tobacco factory in north Dublin, seizing over €630,000 ($683,550.55) worth of cigarettes, reports the BBC.

    Customs officers confiscated 758,000 illicit Marlboro cigarettes and over 1.4 metric tons of raw tobacco.

    If sold legally, the seized products would have generated €500,000 in tax revenue for the Irish government.

    The equipment in the facility is believed capable of producing over 250,000 cigarettes an hour along with pre-processing and packaging facilities.

  • Ireland Halts Vape Tax

    Ireland Halts Vape Tax

    Photo: Orlando Bellini

    Ireland’s finance minister, Michael McGrath, postponed a vaping tax over concerns that it would discourage smokers from quitting with e-cigarettes.

    Officials from the Department of Finance cited the need to strike a balance between discouraging young people from vaping and supporting existing smokers who switch to e-cigarettes to quit. Health officials recommended e-cigarettes be taxed differently based on their comparative harm versus traditional cigarettes, according to media reports.

    McGrath has said a new tax on vapes will be “challenging” to implement. “A domestic tax will require significant IT, administrative, control and compliance costs,” he said.

    Tobacco harm reduction activists applauded the decision. “We welcome the decision of the minister of finance and ask the Irish government to keep a tax differential between electronic and traditional cigarettes in the future large enough to incentivize smokers to switch,” said Michael Landl, director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, in a statement.

    “The risk profile of vaping products is much lower than that of combustion cigarettes, and they should be taxed as such. If the tax had been approved, it would have pushed tens of thousands of vapers back to smoking.”

    The government has not specified a new date for the vape tax. Some suspect it may await the updated EU Tobacco Tax Directive, which is expected to include an EU-wide excise tax on vaping products.