HSE warns people to stop using three vapes which are mislabelled as having no nicotine

The HSE has the power to seize vapes breaching the legal limits, destroy them and carry out prosecutions. File photo: Nicholas T. Ansell/PA

The HSE has warned people to stop using three vapes or e-cigarettes which are falsely labelled as having “no nicotine” when in fact they do contain high levels of nicotine.

They were found to have nicotine at concentrations of 18.0 mg/ml to 19.0 mg/ml following analysis by the State Laboratory.

People have been asked to return the following products to the shops:

• The Crystal Bling 6000+ puffs - Sub-brand (flavour): 5G HRTP Blue Razz Lemonade, Batch No. THE240801
• McKesse MK Bar 7000 - Sub-brand (flavour): Passionfruit & Lime
• JNR Crystal Pro Max 5000+ puff - 0% nicotine Sub-brands (flavours): Kiwi Watermelon Ice Batch No. C24H8399-CP5000.

Anyone who has used these vapes and feels unwell should contact their GP and also inform the HSE on a dedicated email address: [e-mail].

Dr Maurice Mulcahy, Regional Chief Environmental Health Officer at the HSE said a number of issues were raised around these e-cigarettes.

“We found that they have (nicotine) concentrations as high as 19.0 mg/ml,” he said. “While this may be below the legal permitted limit of 20 mg/ml, it is not what the consumer has been told they contain.

“In addition, these products were found to have 7.7ml to 9.4ml of nicotine-containing liquid, almost four to five times the permitted volume (2ml).” 

The HSE has the power to seize vapes breaching the legal limits, destroy them and carry out prosecutions.

“However, retailers play an important role in protecting the consumers of such products from potential harm and should be checking both the products themselves and their suppliers’ details before selling them on to consumers,” he warned.

“Otherwise, they may not only be putting the consumer at risk, they may be breaking the law and making it more difficult to trace and seek the recall and withdrawal of dangerous batches of such products.” 

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The HSE’s national environmental health service has urged shops to check their products more carefully to “ensure they are not breaking the law and endangering public health”.

“We are calling for much greater vigilance by retailers and importers of e-cigarettes with regard to the safety, quality packaging and labelling of such products in order to protect consumers from potential harm,” the HSE said.

Distributors and importers have also been contacted.

Dr Mulcahy pointed out if Irish-based retailers bring e-cigarettes into Ireland from a non-EU country, including Britain, “they may by virtue of this fact also be considered an importer”.