The Department of Health’s bill would ban the sale of vapes to children and advertising near schools 

The Irish Independent reports Health Minister Stephen Donnelly’s proposed legislation is nearly finished and is expected to be published in the “coming weeks”. 

After it is signed by President Michael D Higgins, the new legislation is expected to come before the Dáil on July 13th. 

The Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill bans the sale of vapes to people under 18.  

There is currently no mandatory age restriction on the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes.

Some vape products’ packaging currently say e-cigarettes are not “recommended for young people under the age of 18 years”.  

The Bill also bans the sale of e-cigarettes from self-service vending machines or “temporary or mobile places” where a retailer does not carry out business on a permanent basis. 

The sale of vapes will also be banned from places or events where children are “the majority of attendees”.  

The legislation also bans the advertisement of vapes on public transport, in cinemas and near schools. 

Retailers who breach legislation will face suspension periods or fines.  

"Protect children"

Mr Donnelly previously said the bill was created to “protect children and young people from starting to vape”.  

“We recognise that nicotine is a highly addictive drug, and we are acting today to make these products less accessible to our young people,” he said. 

A 2018 study found that vaping was twice as common as smoking among young people as 22% of Irish people aged 12 to 17 had vaped at least once. 

Some 9% of young people said they had vaped in the last 30 days.  

The sale of e-cigarettes to adolescents is already banned in a number of European countries including Belgium, France and Germany.  

There are up to 16,000 different flavours of vapes according to the World Health Organisation.