AN ADDITIONAL TAX on vapes and e-cigarettes is likely to be rolled out by the Government to dissuade people from using them.

However, The Journal understands that the process of doing so will take time.

Sources have confirmed that the Government is adamant about getting a tax in place on vapes, but such a tax will not be rolled out immediately as new legislation will likely be needed.

Currently, VAT is charged on vape products but they do not have excise duty levied on them like tobacco products or cigarettes do.

Speaking to The Journal, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said excise duty on vapes likely will not happen as part of next week’s Budget, but that ultimately the Government will be looking at taxation and “other measures to wean young people off them”.

“I’ve often asked the question, how do products like that get on the shelves without any due dilligence in terms of their safety? There is growing eivdence now that vapes are damaging to lungs,” Martin said. 

Martin, when Minister for Health, was responsible for implementing the smoking ban in Ireland in 2004.

“Once you hook young people with nicotine, which is more addictive than heroine, you have them for the rest of their lives,” Martin added.

There have been calls to ban disposable vapes completely on both public health and environmental grounds.

Today, researchers at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland said that they are in favour of banning disposable vapes entirely because of the risk they pose to the health and wellbeing of young people and children.

According to the Faculty of Paediatrics at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland children and young people are using vapes in “alarming numbers”.

According to their policy paper, digital marketing campaigns are disproportionately targeting young people with vaping products.

“Clever campaigns on TikTok and Instagram, and the array of flavours and colours, are making disposable vapes more desirable to young people.

“It reminds me of the unregulated tobacco campaigns of the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s,” Professor Des Cox, a representative of the Faculty of Paediatrics, and a consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine said.

According to a review by the Health Research Board in Ireland, young people who have used a vape are three to five times more likely to start smoking than those who never used vapes.

“International research strongly suggests those vaping today will take up smoking at some point in the future. So, effectively what we are doing is creating the next generation of smokers,” Professor Cox said.

Fianna Fáil MEP, Billy Kelleher put his support behind an outright ban of disposable vapes earlier this month too, arguing that Ireland should follow the example of the French government, and other EU Member State governments.

France, the UK, New Zealand, Australia and Germany are all currently in the process of implementing a ban on disposable vapes.

Earlier this year, legislation was introduced to ban the sale of vaping products to under 18s in Ireland. It was originally expected to become law in July of this year, but the legislation has been delayed.

At the time, Micheál Martin said the legislation was “important in making sure future generations of young people don’t get attracted to vaping”.

He said it was his view that vaping was the “revenge of the tobacco industry in terms of getting people hooked on nicotine again”.