The Oireachtas Health Committee has also recommended that flavoured e-cigarettes be regulated.
It may soon become harder to buy e-cigarettes in Ireland, following a number of recommendations made by the Oireachtas Health Committee.
The Report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill was published by the committee on Friday (15 July), and included a number of recommended restrictions and regulations on the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes.
Among the recommendations was to extend the prohibition of the sale of tobacco from temporary or movable premises to cover e-cigarettes as well.
This would mean that it would be illegal to sell e-cigarettes from pop-up shops, including those at music festivals or similar events.
“The prohibition is designed to ensure that the sale of tobacco products is not associated with music festivals or similar events which might contribute to their appeal in the minds of children and young people,” the Committee wrote.
“In addition, the prohibition on the sale of tobacco products from temporary premises will mean that tobacco products can no longer be sold from places that are difficult to monitor for compliance with tobacco control law owing to their temporary nature.”
Other recommendations include the prohibition of selling such products from trays, bags, or other similar containers, and also the prohibition of selling such products at events aimed towards children.
Flavoured e-cigarettes could also be regulated, especially in terms of the marketing of different flavours.
“Flavourings such as ‘tutti-frutti’ or ‘chocolate milkshake’ are used by the industry to attract new younger users, and given the additional harm posed to young people by e-cigarettes and evidence that e-cigarettes can be a pathway to dual-use or cigarette smoking by young people, such flavourings should be prohibited,” the Committee wrote.
In a similar fashion, the Committee recommended that the use of brightly coloured packaging on e-cigarettes be restricted, and that plain packaging restrictions should be implemented.
The recommendations are the latest in a number of restrictions against e-cigarettes, as the European Commission is planning on banning flavoured heated tobacco products in the EU.
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