Ireland must go 'all out' against vaping, says Taoiseach
Micheál Martin: 'I find it extraordinary that a product gets on the market without anybody having to do due diligence in respect of what we are now learning are very serious health impacts as a result of vaping.' Photo: Angela Weiss/AFP
State funding for smoking cessation should be extended to vaping and the country must go "all out" against the practice, the Taoiseach has said.
The Government earlier this week announced a delayed tax on vape liquid will take effect on November 1. The tax will be applied at a flat rate of 50c per millilitre of e-liquid and was formally announced as part of Budget 2025.
Finance minister Paschal Donohoe confirmed the tax will cover all vape e-liquids, whether or not they contain nicotine. Announcing the tax, then-finance minister Jack Chambers said most disposable vapes contain 2ml of e-liquid and cost around €8, meaning the price will rise to about €9.23 including VAT.
Speaking in New York this week, Micheál Martin said he continues to believe that vaping is the "second coming of the tobacco industry".
"I often describe it as the revenge of the tobacco industry on the smoking ban, but the tobacco industry is very well resourced.
"I find it extraordinary that a product gets on the market without anybody having to do due diligence in respect of what we are now learning are very serious health impacts as a result of vaping.
"I met with Dr (Anthony) Fauci last year. He was literally quoting research, peer-reviewed international research, in terms of the damage that vaping has done to people."
Mr Martin said he is clear that vaping is bad for people and said the health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill is preparing legislation around it. Mr Martin said the tax is being brought in "because price does matter".
"It was particularly impactful on reducing tobacco consumption in terms of the cost of cigarettes. Budget after budget, we increased it significantly, and combined with other measures, did result in a reduction in cigarette smoking."
New measures are planned to ban the sale of single-use vapes and prohibit shops from advertising vaping products at point-of-sale.
Products will be kept out of view, similar to cigarettes and tobacco, and bans will extend to any device that resembles or functions as toys or games.
Upcoming laws will also restrict flavours to basic names, ban all promotional descriptors, and introduce plain packaging for vaping products.
Earlier this week, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, junior minister for public health, said she wants to see the level of tobacco use among children fall to 0%. She referred to proposed laws in the UK which would ban anyone born after 2008 from buying cigarettes.
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