Ireland - Clearing the Air

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Sinn Féin leader says adults should be free to choose whether to vape

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has pushed back against the prospect of an outright vape ban in Ireland, saying adults should remain free to decide whether they want to vape. Her comments came a day after Taoiseach Micheál Martin signalled his…

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Irish PM backs vape ban and claims vapes are ‘nearly worse than cigarettes’

Ireland’s prime minister has signalled support for an outright ban on vapes, claiming they are “nearly worse than cigarettes” despite evidence that nicotine vaping is far less harmful than smoking. Taoiseach Micheál Martin made the comments at the end of Fianna Fáil’s…

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Safer prison vape cuts fires as Ireland tackles second-hand smoke

A specially designed vape introduced in prisons across England and Wales has been credited with helping cut fires by 46 per cent, as officials in Ireland consider whether vaping could also reduce prison staff exposure to second-hand cigarette smoke. The developments offer…

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Ireland’s de facto vape flavour ban delayed after Italy and Greece object

Ireland’s plan to restrict vape flavour names to “Tobacco” and “Unflavoured” has been delayed after Italy and Greece formally challenged the proposed rules at EU level. Both countries submitted “detailed opinions” through the European Commission’s Technical Regulation Information System, or TRIS, raising…

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Ireland urged to rethink vape policy as smoking decline stalls

Ireland is being urged to rethink its approach to vaping after official health data showed smoking rates are no longer falling. Responsible Vaping Ireland (RVI), which represents more than 3,300 independent vape retailers and business owners, said Budget 2027 should protect adult…

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Ireland moves closer to banning fruit and sweet vape flavours

Ireland has moved closer to banning most flavoured vapes after new nicotine laws cleared the Dáil. The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2026 passed its final stage in the Dáil on Wednesday and will now go to…

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New UK vape tax expected to raise £565m as border rules tighten

The UK’s new vape tax is expected to raise £565 million a year by 2030/31, as ministers prepare to bring vaping liquids into the excise duty system for the first time. From 1 October 2026, Vaping Products Duty will apply to all…

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Sweden blocks EU pouch tax hike to protect its smoke-free status

Sweden has blocked an EU tobacco tax plan that critics warned would punish the smoke-free products behind the country’s sharp fall in smoking. The move turns Sweden’s smoke-free success into a direct challenge to Brussels, coming just days after the European Parliament…

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Reach Out, Don’t Shun: What World No Tobacco Day Used to Mean

The first World No-Smoking Day fell on 7 April 1988, timed to the WHO’s 40th anniversary. South Africa wasn’t a WHO member then—apartheid had seen to that. Yet we marked the moment anyway, launching a special edition of the South African Medical…

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