The sale of disposable vapes is set to be banned after Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly received approval from the Cabinet to draft legislation introducing further restrictions on nicotine inhaling products.
The Nicotine Inhaling Products Bill proposes to ban the sale, manufacture or import of single-use or disposable vapes in Ireland.
The new legislation also limits vape flavours to tobacco, with provisions for the list of allowed flavours to be amended pending new evidence.
Point-of-sale display and advertising of vape products will also be banned in shops other than those who only or primarily sell these products.
Mr Donnelly plans to introduce these measures on environmental and public health grounds.
The Cabinet heard that single-use vapes are relatively inexpensive and are disproportionately used by younger people.
They also damage the environment through littering and being incorrectly disposed of in bins when their plastics and batteries should be recycled.
Mr Donnelly said this legislation will "will tackle the rise in the use of vapes among children and young people by reducing their attractiveness and availability".
He said: "Nicotine is addictive and the long-term effects of these products is not yet known, so it is important to act.
"I know that some adult smokers use nicotine inhaling products to quit smoking so these products, other than disposable vapes, will continue to remain available."
Speaking on his way into the Cabinet meeting, Mr Donnelly said that the proposed legislation would "bring in bans on flavours".
"We'd be starting with just one flavour, but the minister of the day could expand that if required," he said.
"A ban on some of the colour around the packaging and the products themselves, restrictions on a point of sale as well.
Vaping 'the revenge of the tobacco industry' - Harris
He added that "companies are very cynically targeting children".
"There are over 15,000 flavours. We know some of them are targeted at children. We know a lot of the colouring and the packaging is targeted at children and young people," Mr Donnelly said.
"We want to say if you're an adult, obviously, you'll make your own decisions on this, but we want to make sure that we keep children safe."
Mr Donnelly told colleagues that he is concerned that the products sold in this country contain the maximum permitted allowed levels of nicotine (20mg).
Taoiseach Simon Harris welcomed the proposed ban on disposable vapes, saying that vaping is "the revenge of the tobacco industry".
Speaking before the Cabinet meeting, he said it would specifically improve the health of young people.
"We live in a country where around 13% of people between the ages of 12 and 17 have vaped in the last 30 days," he said.
"We need to take action in relation to that."
The Taoiseach added that disposable vapes was leading to an increase in littering across the country.
"I'd ask all parties in the Dáil and Seanad to put their shoulder to the wheel and let's get this legislation passed," Mr Harris said.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin also welcomed the proposed ban.
"I've long fought for and pursued the issue of vaping because I think it is smoking mark two, in terms of the health of the nation," Mr Martin said.
"We really need to protect younger people, in particular, from the harmful effects of vaping."
Vape Business Ireland called the proposals "extreme" and urged the Government not to "throw out the baby with the bathwater".
The national trade association for vaping retailers warned that "kneejerk bans" could result in quitters returning to smoking, as well as fuelling black market vapes and cross border sales.
VBI national spokesperson Paul Malone said people will buy online from the black market or across the border if the proposed bans come into force.
"All the Government will be doing is hurting small businesses, and making it harder for people who are trying to quit smoking," he said.
Mr Malone instead called on the Government to enforce the ban on the sale of vapes to under 18s as well as considering measures such as low excise on vapes and banning packaging that has cartoons and toy-like imagery.
