The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland Policy Group on Tobacco welcomes the passing of tobacco and e-cigarette legislation
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) Policy Group on Tobacco welcomes the completion of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill in both houses of the Oireachtas. The Bill provides important measures including a ban on selling e-cigarettes to people under 18 for the first time in Ireland, which is a crucial step to better protecting the health of children and young people. The sale of tobacco and e-cigarettes through vending machines and at events for children will be banned and a new licensing system for retailers of tobacco and nicotine products introduced. Advertising of nicotine inhaling products around schools and on public transport will also be prohibited.
RCPI welcomes the Minister for Health’s commitment to bring forward further legislation and the public consultation to inform future regulation of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products.
Just one year away from Ireland’s tobacco endgame target of reducing the number of people who smoke to 1-in-20 people by 2025, it is clear that further and immediate action is needed.
The Healthy Ireland survey shows that reductions in smoking in Ireland have stalled. Almost 1-in-5 people aged over 15 years of age in Ireland still smoke and risk devastating health consequences.
We must protect the health of children and young people from the harms caused by e-cigarettes and prioritise action to address the stalled reductions in smoking to get back on track to a Tobacco Free Ireland.
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland Policy Group on Tobacco has previously called for a ban on the sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21. A position paper published in 2022 outlines how this policy measure has been implemented successfully in other countries and is highly supported by the Irish public. This could be a step towards building a tobacco free generation, which is under consideration in the UK.
Further legislation should also be implemented to regulate digital marketing campaigns disproportionately targeting young people, and to ban disposable vapes, as well as the use of flavours other than tobacco in all vaping products.
Doctors are at the front line dealing with the health consequences of smoking in Ireland and have a key voice in how this harm should be brought to an end. We encourage all our Trainees, Members and Fellows to respond to the public consultation by 04 January 2024.
Further information is available in our position papers: