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27th Aug 2023

Electric Picnic festival organisers announce ban on disposable vapes

Simon Kelly

EP vape ban

The devices “may be confiscated on entry”.

It’s become almost the norm that, when attending a festival, concert or pretty much any outdoor event, you’ll be walking through someone’s watermelon-flavoured vape cloud.

However, Electric Picnic organisers this year have vowed to put a stop to that, as they have announced that disposable vapes will be banned from the festival, which takes place in Stradbally, Co. Laois on September 1-3.

The ban on the single-use devices is being placed in order to “protect the land that the festival site is on”.

In a statement, organisers said:

“Disposable vapes are made of a mixed compound of materials making them very difficult to recycle and hazardous if not placed in the correct waste stream.

“Electric Picnic has taken the decision to add single use disposable vapes to the list of prohibited items, in order to protect the land that the festival site is on.

“Please do not bring single-use disposable vapes as they may be confiscated on entry.”

Outright ban on vape products have majority public support

Disposable vapes have become increasingly prevalent across Ireland over the last few years, gaining a particular popularity among younger people.

Since they’re rise in popularity, there has been a swell of support in an outright ban of the devices in the country.

Legislation cracking down on selling e-cigarettes and vaping devices to minors in Ireland was approved in May.

The Irish Heart Foundation called on the Government to increase legislation to cover the use of disposable vapes, expressing that “a full ban” on all e-cigarettes flavours and a “complete prohibition of all forms of advertising, including online influencers promoting vaping products” was needed.

In July, an independent survey carried out by Ipsos found that two thirds of the Irish public would support an outright ban on single use vapes.

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