Health Committee to begin pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill

Officials from the Department of Health are due to attend the meeting at 09.30am in Committee Room 2 of Leinster House.

The General Scheme of the Bill was referred to the Oireachtas Committee on Health for pre-legislative scrutiny following approval by Government in October 2019.

The proposed legislation will prohibit the sale of vapes and tobacco- and nicotine-inhaling products to persons under the age of 18.

It will also make it illegal for under-18s to sell such products.

Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Seán Crowe said: “This is the first time this Committee engages in pre-legislative scrutiny of the Public Health Bill.”

“The proposed legislation will prohibit the sale of nicotine inhaling products to persons under 18 years of age, the sale of tobacco products from self-service vending machines and the sale of tobacco products at events/locations primarily intended for persons aged under 18.

“Tobacco costs the Irish exchequer several billion euro every year and causes thousands of deaths. The measures in the Bill regarding nicotine products underline that these types of products should not be readily available to children.

“This committee meets at an important time as new Irish research published in September 2021 found that the rate of smoking in teenage boys has increased for the first time in 25 years while the rates of vaping among teenagers has risen in the past four years.”

Proceedings can be watched live here.