DUBLIN – The Irish government has approved plans to ban the sale of disposable vapes and introduce new restrictions on other nicotine products.
The move in the Republic of Ireland comes after the sale and supply of single-use vapes in Northern Ireland was banned back in April 2025.
Anyone found guilty of stocking or supplying single-use vapes in Northern Ireland could face a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison and a fine of up to £5,000.
In the Republic of Ireland, Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill received Irish cabinet approval to publish the Public Health (Single Use Vapes) Bill 2025, which would make it illegal for retailers to sell single-use e-cigarettes in the country.
What is a disposable vape?
They are single use.
They are already filled and charged.
They are activated by inhaling.
The battery only lasts a short while, sometimes only a day, so they are designed to be discarded.
They are often small and fit in a pocket.
They do not have a replaceable coil and cannot be recharged or refilled.
The Irish government also agreed to develop legislation preventing the sale of other nicotine products, such as nicotine pouches, to people under the age of 18.
Advertising for such products will be banned in all retail outlets, and mixed retailers will no longer be allowed to display them openly.
The measures will be incorporated into the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill, which will regulate the packaging, appearance, flavors and display of nicotine-inhaling products.
Officials said the framework is intended to apply to future nicotine products, as well as those currently on the market. (BBC)
