The Royal College of Physicians in Ireland say people under the age of 21 should not be allowed to buy e-cigs, vapes or other tobacco products.
It made a submission before the Joint Committee on Health yesterday in relation to pre-legislative scrutiny of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019.
Prof Des Cox, a consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine at Children’s Health Ireland, Crumlin, and the RCPI representative, said e-cigarettes and vapes should be subject to similar restrictions as smokes and other tobacco.
He said the minimum age for their sale should be increased to 21.
Prof Cox also called for a ban on different flavours being offered by vaping products, other than the flavour of tobacco, adding: “Increase the prohibition of the sale of tobacco and nicotine inhaled products from 18 to 21 years of age.
"Countries such as the US and Singapore have implemented a Tobacco 21 policy and recent evidence suggests that tobacco smoking reduced among 18 to 20-year -olds as a result.
"Prohibit the sale of nicotine inhaled products flavourings apart from tobacco flavoured products.”
However, John Dunne, of Vape Business Ireland, insists that vaping products are a useful tool for quitters, adding: “The fact is the data indicates youth uptake for use remains low.”
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest new straight to your inbox.
