Ireland Moves to Ban Single-Use Vapes Amid Health Concerns

The Irish Government is taking significant steps to tackle vaping among young people by proposing a ban on single-use vapes. Today, the Minister for Public Health, Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, will introduce the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 to the Dáil. If passed, this legislation will prohibit the sale of single-use vapes in shops across Ireland.

The move follows a similar ban in the United Kingdom earlier this summer, which reportedly led to a decline in vaping rates within the general population. John Crown, a prominent oncologist, expressed support for the ban during a recent interview on Newstalk Breakfast. He described the legislation as a “step in the right direction,” although he believes further measures are necessary to protect public health.

Crown criticized the lack of regulation surrounding vaping since its introduction, stating that the industry should have been tightly controlled to ensure it was used solely for smoking cessation. “There is no doubt that vaping is far less harmful to your health than smoking. It is not harmless,” he noted, highlighting the presence of dangerous chemicals in vape products.

The oncologist emphasized that the tobacco industry poses a major challenge in implementing stricter regulations. According to Crown, the industry has a vested interest in profit rather than public health, leading to the creation of new addictions to maintain market share as traditional smoking declines. “The tobacco industry, which loses thousands of its customers every year to smoking-related illnesses, has no alternative but to create new addicts for its products,” he asserted.

Crown pointed out that many smokers start using tobacco products before the age of 18. While existing legislation prohibits the sale of vapes to children, he argued that more stringent restrictions are needed. He proposed that vaping products should only be available through pharmacies and potentially only with a prescription. “I know I’m going to get tons of hate mail on this one, but it should only be available through pharmacies, possibly only on prescription,” he stated.

Crown’s concerns echo broader worries about the rising number of children engaging in vaping, which he described as “frighteningly high.” He believes the issue warrants urgent attention from lawmakers. “This is a step, together with other pieces of legislation which have come along, this is a step in the right direction,” Crown concluded.

As the Irish Government prepares to address this critical health issue, the outcome of the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 could have a lasting impact on vaping culture and public health in Ireland.