Ireland is introducing a new licence fee for retailers selling vapes.
From February 2, shops wishing to sell vapes will be hit with an annual charge of €800. There will be a further fee of €1,000 if they sell tobacco. Nicotine pouches are excluded from the legislation.
The system will mean vaping retailers with a number of premises across the country will face paying thousands of euros every year. Until now, retailers that wanted to sell tobacco had to pay a one-off €50 fee, and there was no licence for selling vapes.
The Irish government said the move is intended to deter retailers from selling vapes and cigarettes to children and young people who are under age.
Shops selling vapes and related products will need to sign up to a register and will then be subject to inspections by Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) to ensure they are complying with legislation.
In Ireland it is illegal to sell vapes to anyone aged under 18 and from June 1, disposable vapes will be banned.
Licence revoked for breaching rules
The licences will be renewed annually and will be removed if a retailer is found to be breaching the rules.
Licences will only be issued to owners that operate a premises for a minimum of 12 months, in a move which the Government hopes will clamp down on pop-up stalls.
This will see the sale of vapes and cigarettes at music festivals banned. The sale of tobacco products and vapes by self-service, including vending machines, will also be prohibited.
The new licencing system was passed via Statutory Instrument and is part of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023.
David Mellin, Manager of British American Tobacco Ireland (BAT Ireland), said: “The vast majority of retailers are responsible and are doing the right thing, but we have concerns about the unknown quantity of mobile phone accessory and laptop repair shops selling vapes.
“We’re seeing a growing number of shops selling illegal vapes that are missing Irish health warnings and that contain dangerously high levels of nicotine.”
‘An Important Role’
He added: “We have repeatedly called for the introduction of the retail licence system and believe it will play an important role in the enforcement of the under-18 vape sales ban and in preventing the sale of illegal vape products.
“However, we believe that the failure to include tobacco-free nicotine pouches was a misstep and one that can hopefully be addressed by the next government.
“We hope the new system will help to remove these retailers, whose actions are hurting the many legitimate and responsible retailers across the country selling vapes.”
However, critics of the new system say legitimate vape retailers will feel the financial pinch, while those breaking the rules may continue to do so if there is not enough enforcement.
This week it was revealed that eight in 10 retailers in Brussels are ignoring Belgium’s strict new vape rules, which includes a ban on disposable vapes.
