Irish Government Approves Ban on Disposable Vapes and Tightens Nicotine Controls

Key Points

• Ban: Outlaws retail sale of disposable vapes;
• Age Limit: Under-18 ban on nicotine pouches and related products;
• Advertising: Retail display and promotion prohibited;
• Legislation: Incorporated into the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill;
• Minister’s Statement: Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill emphasised child protection.

2Firsts — November 20, 2025 — According to BBC, the Irish Cabinet has approved the Public Health (Single Use Vapes) Bill 2025, which will make it illegal for retailers to sell single-use e-cigarettes six months after enactment.

The decision mirrors Northern Ireland’s ban introduced in April 2025. Anyone found guilty there of stocking or supplying disposable vapes faces up to two years in prison and a £5,000 fine.

The bill defines disposable vapes as single-use, pre-filled, non-rechargeable devices activated by inhalation and designed to be discarded after short battery use.

The Irish Government also approved new rules banning the sale of nicotine pouches to under-18s and prohibiting advertising or open retail display of such products. These provisions form part of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill, which will regulate packaging, appearance, flavouring and presentation.

Under Irish legislative procedure, the Government's approval of the Public Health (Disposable E-Cigarettes) Bill 2025 signifies only that the Cabinet has agreed to submit it to Parliament for debate, and does not imply the Bill's immediate enactment. Subsequently, the Bill will enter the formal deliberation process of the Irish Parliament (Oireachtas), requiring passage through multiple rounds of debate and voting in both the lower house (Dáil Éireann) and the upper house (Seanad Éireann).

Following approval by both Houses, the Bill will be presented to the President for signature, formally becoming an Act of Parliament. Even then, its specific commencement date remains subject to determination by the Act's provisions or a **Commencement Order** signed by the Minister for Health, with certain clauses potentially implemented in phases.

Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said:

“My priority is the protection of our children. These measures will reduce the attractiveness and availability of nicotine products and help our young people grow up free from addiction.”

Minister of State Jennifer Murnane O’Connor added that the reform represents “a big step forward” in tackling youth nicotine use and that the Government must “stay ahead of the market to safeguard future generations.”

Both ministers pledged to implement the measures as swiftly as possible.

Image source: BBC News