Call to extend indoor smoking ban to cover e-cigarettes

Oireachtas health committee continued scrutiny of the proposed Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019

The IHF's Chis Macey said e-cigarette liquid cartons are sold in 'bright, attractive packaging with cartoon characters' to make them more enticing for younger customers. FIle picture: Yui Mok/PA

The indoor smoking ban should be extended to cover e-cigarettes and the age limit for buying cigarettes extended to 21, the Oireachtas health committee heard on Wednesday morning.

The committee continued scrutiny of the proposed Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019, and heard from the Irish Cancer Society (ICS) and Irish Heart Foundation (IHF).

IHF head of advocacy Chris Macey said research shows smoking is becoming more popular among 15-16-year-olds, for the first time in 25 years.

He said four measures were needed “to turn the tide of youth smoking back in the right direction and robustly address the dangers of vaping to young people". 

He said these should include an “increase the legal age of sale of cigarettes and e-cigarettes from 18 to 21, outlaw all e-cigarette flavours bar tobacco, ban all e-cigarette advertising, and introduce plain packaging on e-cigarette products". 

Displaying e-cigarette liquid cartons, Mr Macey said they are sold “in bright, attractive packaging with cartoon characters” to make them more enticing for younger customers.

His colleague Mark Murphy said the indoor smoking ban should also cover e-cigarettes.

Mr Macey told Fine Gael TD Colm Burke that research shows 80% of smokers want to quit and regulation around advertising and smoking needs to support them.

ICS chief executive Averil Power said the tobacco industry was spending billions to make e-cigarettes attractive for younger customers, saying they use “aggressive advertising and child-friendly flavours". 

The Department of Health has previously argued that e-cigarettes were needed to help smokers quit.

Ms Power said: “Let us not forget that all the major e-cigarette companies are owned by 'big tobacco'.” 

She said companies describe themselves as e-cigarette companies when lobbying the health committee, but are in fact tobacco companies.

She told Róisín Shortall, co-leader of the Social Democrats, that there has been “resistance” from the Department of Health to requests from the ICS and IHF to limit vaping.