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31st May 2024
05:10pm BST
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has confirmed that cigarette vending machines will be removed from Ireland.
The move is to help reduce the number of young people smoking in Ireland.
Speaking about the decision, Donnelly said the ban will help limit the availability of tobacco products.
He stated: “On World No Tobacco Day we are continuing to denormalise the sale of tobacco products to make it clear that a product that kills one out of every two of its users is not like other consumer products.
“We are also banning the sale of nicotine-inhaling products by self-service to further tighten the availability and the advertising of these products,” Donnelly added.
It is understood that the ban won’t be introduced in Ireland until September 2025. This is partly to give businesses time to introduce the changes.
The move also includes the self-service vape machines popular in bars and pubs.
The news comes after a recent study found that there is a link between cancer and vaping.
The team at the RCSI discovered that vaping is almost certainly linked to cancer.
“We wanted to understand, before it’s too late, the likely impact flavoured vapes are having on the health of the growing number of vapers.
“Our findings indicate a significantly different profile of chemical hazards compared to what we are familiar with from traditional tobacco smoking.
The team believes we may be on “the cusp of a new wave of chronic diseases” because of vaping.
