Restricting the number of vendors that sell e-cigarettes would "limit the ready access that teenagers have," according to the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.

Under new laws being considered by the Government, vaping companies may pay thousands each year to hold a licence in Ireland.

The Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly, is examining setting a new annual licence fee of €500 per shop that sells e-cigarettes.

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, Chair of The Policy Group on Tobacco at Royal College of Physicians Ireland, Dr Des Cox, said a strict licencing system for tobacco and vaping products "is a minimum requirement."

"When they're introducing the new bill in the summer – which will raise the age of sale of vaping products to over-18s – they need to marry that with a strict licencing system," he said.

"I think restricting access to vaping products for children is part of the solution here – trying to ensure that the people who sell the products are abiding by the law here."

Limiting access

Dr Cox said the potential €500 annual licence fee for e-cigarette retailers is an attempt to "restrict the number of shops, pop-up shops, and temporary premises" that sell the products.

"I think this would be prohibitive for them so they wouldn't be able to do that anymore – I think that's where they're aiming at," he said.

"Obviously this also prohibits fakes being sold by vending machines, so at music festivals and things like that, it would limit the ready access that teenagers have currently to vaping.

"There should be a lot more regulations in the marketing and advertising of these products, such as plain packaging.

"You shouldn't be able to see these products when you walk into a petrol station at the counter – it should be behind the counter.

"Flavouring as well – which has proved to be attractive for teenagers to these products – we should be restricting the number of flavours that are accessible out there"

'Behind the curve'

Dr Cox said research has shown that Ireland is "behind the curve" when it comes to vaping.

"There has been a significant increase in the number of teenagers vaping over the past number of years in Ireland," he said.

"We need to tackle this, we need to try and address the problem. Just raising the age, I don't believe that that will be enough here.

"The Government needs to look at broader and more restrictive measures on vaping which will allow ex-smokers to still access these products but will prohibit children and teenagers from access."

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