Sale of vapes at music festivals to be banned 

Sale of vapes and tobacco products to be banned at music festivals.

The sale of cigarettes and vapes at music festivals will be banned under the Government’s new laws to clamp down on the “soaring” popularity of vaping among teenagers.

Cabinet recently approved a bill that will introduce a ban on the sale of vaping products to those aged under 18.

Retailers will also face fines of up to €5,000 or 12 months in jail under the new legislation.

Advertisements for e-cigarettes near schools and on public transport will also be banned in a bid to stop normalising vaping.

It has now emerged that part of the Government’s bill, which was read out in the Dáil on Tuesday by Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton, will ban pop-up shops at music festivals from selling vapes and tobacco products.

A license will not be issued for sale in a temporary or moveable premises other than a commercial passenger ship.

“This means that pop-up shops, for example at music festivals, will not be licensed to sell tobacco products or nicotine inhaling products,” Ms Naughton told the Dáil.

The sale of tobacco products and vapes by self-service, including vending machines, will also be prohibited under the bill.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is to also set an annual licence fee, yet to be determined, for each premises and replace the current system which allows for a once-off €50 fee for tobacco retailers. 

It will also be an offence to advertise nicotine-inhaling products in a cinema except around a film that has been classified as suitable for adults.

Longer lead-in times will be provided for certain provisions to ensure businesses will be given plenty of time to prepare for compliance with the new requirements in the bill.

Usage of e-cigarettes among adults was 6% in 2022, according to the Healthy Ireland Survey, with 3% daily use and 3% occasional use.