Ban vape flavours and images that target underage, urges major Irish vaping company
Confectionery, dessert and soft drink flavours of vaping products should be banned, BAT Ireland has said, in response to the government's current public consultation
Print18 December 2023
A ban on confectionery, dessert and soft drink flavours is needed to stop vape products appealing to the underage, said BAT Ireland, one of the country’s leading vape companies, in response to the public consultation on vaping that the Minister for Health recently launched.
A ban on flavours that target the underage are part of a range of measures being proposed by the company to make the vaping industry more responsible. Other regulations include a ban on marketing slogans and the use of imagery on products that involve toys, cartoons, and sweets.
The public consultation which is due to close on the 5 January will be used to inform a new bill on the future regulation of the vaping sector which is expected to be published next spring.
“The incoming ban on the sale of vapes to under 18s will cut off underage users at the source,” said David Melinn, country manager of BAT Ireland.
“As a global vape manufacturer, we are clear on our responsibilities and believe that stronger regulation is needed,” he continued. “That’s why we are urging the government to ban confectionery, dessert and soft drink flavours that target the underage to stop young people from ever trying these products in the first place,”
BAT believes that regulation which promotes harm reduction and reduces the risk of unintended underage use can help Ireland to meet its smoke-free ambitions – defined as a national smoking rate of less than 5%. This approach recognises the important role that vapes play in helping smokers switch while ensuring that flavours that target the underage are removed from the market.
Independent scientific research shows an association between quitting smoking successfully and using non-tobacco flavoured as opposed to tobacco-flavoured or unflavoured e-liquids. While Healthy Ireland does not break down successful quit attempts by flavour, the data shows that one in four smokers who successfully quit use a vape.
“We believe a ban on flavours that target the underage strikes the balance of minimising the risk of underage uptake while simultaneously ensuring that the majority of vapers still have access to their preferred flavours,” added Melinn .
BAT Ireland also highlighted the importance of input to the public consultation, especially from smokers who are using vapes to completely switch and stay off cigarettes.
“The public consultation provides an opportunity to hear from those that will be most impacted by the future regulation of vaping products. While it’s clear that stricter controls are needed to stop vapes that target the underage, it’s vital that the harm reduction role of vapes is recognised in future regulation,” said Melinn.
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