Tag: Ireland

  • ‘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 Vape Product Tax Hike

    Campaigners Slam Irish Vape Product 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 Health Minister Proposes Vape Flavor Ban

    Irish Health Minister Proposes Vape Flavor Ban

    Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly proposed bans on non-tobacco vape flavors and advertising in non-specialized 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, who he believed were “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 Sales Age for Vaping Products

    Ireland to Raise Sales Age for Vaping Products

    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.

  • Age Rising to 21 to Purchase Vape, Tobacco in Ireland

    Age Rising to 21 to Purchase Vape, Tobacco in Ireland

    Image: FM2 | Adobe Stock

    New legislation is due to come before the Cabinet in Ireland, raising the legal age to buy tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21.

    The Minister of Health, Stephen Donnelly, is due to seek Cabinet approval this week for the legislation to increase the legal age by three years, according to media.

    While less young people in Ireland are smoking cigarettes, the numbers seem to have plateaued in recent years. The hope iraising rising the age from 18 to 21 will deter younger from smokingo smoke cigarettvapingd vapes, lowering numbers once again.

    Minister Donnelly announced his intention to introduce this legislation back in March.

    “Really, it’s a measure aimed at people who are 15, 16, 17 years of age that with a smoking age at 18, they find it relatively easy to buy cigarettes…but that if you move to 21 it makes it much more difficult,” he said.

    A ban on the sale of tobacco and vape products from vending machines is also set to be introduced.

    Further legislation is planned to ban disposable vapes and address issues related to the flavors and bright colors of vape packaging.

  • Ireland to Consider Disposables Ban, 21 Minimum Age

    Ireland to Consider Disposables Ban, 21 Minimum Age

    The Minister for Health in Ireland wants to raise the minimum age for smoking to 21. 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, according to media reports.

    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.” 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 Preparing to Implement E-Cigarette Tax

    Ireland Preparing to Implement E-Cigarette 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.

  • Under-18 Vape Product Sales Ban Begins in Ireland

    Under-18 Vape Product Sales Ban Begins in Ireland

    Photo: Timothy S. Donahue

    The Irish Government has announced that the ban on selling e-cigarettes or vapes to minors takes effect from tomorrow.

    Stephen Donnelly, the Minister for Health, obtained Cabinet approval for this measure earlier this year, which was signed into law by President Michael D. Higgins in August.

    The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill comes into effect from Friday, December 21.

    From then on, it will be an offense to sell a nicotine inhaling product to someone under the age of 18. The offense will carry a penalty of a fine of up to €4,000 ($4408) and a prison sentence of up to six months.

    The new bill includes measures to address smoking and vaping among adults.

    Beginning today, the sale of tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products at events for children will also be prohibited, as will the self-service sale of such products.

    The bill prohibits the sale of certain items to minors and restricts their advertisement in schools and on public transport. It also provides for increased enforcement, according to media reports.

    The bill also allows for additional enforcement powers to the Environmental Health Service for measures in the bill and for all previous Tobacco Control Acts.

  • Ireland Halts Vaping Tax Over Cessation Concerns

    Ireland Halts Vaping Tax Over Cessation Concerns

    Credit: Schankz

    Ireland’s Finance Minister Michael McGrath postponed a vaping tax over concerns it would discourage smokers from quitting with e-cigarettes.

    Officials from the Department of Finance stated 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 introducing a new tax on vapes will be “challenging” to implement. The country’s government intends to apply the levy on e-cigarettes as part of a public health response to vaping. “A domestic tax will require significant IT, administrative, control, and compliance costs,” McGrath said.

    “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. “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.”

    Research has shown that increasing vaping taxes can lead to higher smoking, particularly among young adults. The Department of Finance submission also expressed concerns over vapers switching to the black market if the tax was enacted.

    Implementation of the tax was postponed with no new date in sight, while the government also waits for an EU framework to ease its implementation. The update of the EU Tobacco Tax Directive is expected to include an EU-wide excise tax on vaping products.

    “Taxing vaping products similarly to combustion cigarettes would have a negative impact on public health as it would push vapers back to smoking or the black market and discourage smokers from switching,” Landl said. “We recommend other countries and the EU to follow Ireland’s example and refrain from implementing vaping taxes.”

  • Ireland: Implementing New Vape Tax ‘Challenging’

    Ireland: Implementing New Vape Tax ‘Challenging’

    Inside a local vape shop in Killarney, Ireland. (Credit: Timothy Donahue)

    Ireland’s Finance Minister Michael McGrath has said introducing a new tax on vapes will be “challenging” to implement.

    The country’s government intends to apply the levy on e-cigarettes as part of a public health response to vaping.

    “A domestic tax will require significant IT, administrative, control, and compliance costs,” McGrath said.

    The proposed tax on both vapes and e-cigarettes had first been flagged in Budget 2024 speeches when Mr McGrath cited the ongoing delays to EU directives on tobacco products, reports the Irish Examiner.

    “While the implementation environment is challenging, it does not undermine the intention to apply a tax as one tool in the overall public health policy approach to e-cigarettes,” the finance minister said in response to a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil TD Paul McAuliffe.

    “Most excise taxes in Ireland are governed by EU legislation and this helps to reduce compliance and administrative costs,” McGrath said. “As e-cigarettes are not harmonized excisable products, the Revenue Commissioners will be unable to use existing movement controls and tax warehousing for tax collection purposes.”

    McGrath confirmed that the e-liquid within vapes will be the primary component that is levied.