Joint Committee on Health publishes its report on Pre-Legislative scrutiny of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019

Speaking on the report Committee Chair, Deputy Seán Crowe said “The Joint Committee on Health agreed to undertake pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme in 2021 and the

Committee has endeavoured to scrutinise the proposed legislation and provide recommendations on areas where it believes changes or amendments are warranted. The Committee held four hearings on the General Scheme and also received submissions from interested stakeholders.”

The Deputy said “The Committee’s focus at hearings on the issue was largely on the regulation of ecigarettes as this legislation would introduce a new regulatory regime for the sale of nicotine inhaling products in Ireland. The Committee welcomes the introduction of a licencing system for e-cigarettes and for tobacco products.”

The Deputy added “Over the course of the hearings on the Bill, significant evidence came to light regarding the harms of e-cigarettes, particularly for adolescents and young adults. Evidence was also provided about growing trends of vaping among teenagers and the easy accessibility and marketing of such products, with the use of brightly coloured packaging and flavours as well as the use of online marketing to attract younger people to these products.”

Deputy Crowe said “The Committee has identified 22 key issues, corresponding recommendations are explored in detail in the body of the report. The Committee recommends that some of the provisions which relate to tobacco products in Part 3 of the Bill should also be extended to e-cigarette products, including regulation of sale of products from points of sale and restrictions on the sale of such products at places intended for children. Furthermore, the Committee believes the legislation should be extended to regulate flavouring and marketing of e-cigarettes, which is not currently provided for under the General Scheme. Further supports also need to be provided to smokers who wish to quit cigarettes and these should be universally available at no cost to those wishing to quit.”

Read the full report here

Among the recommendations contained in the report are: 

1. The legislation should be reviewed following the first year of enactment.

2. The harms associated with the consumption of e-cigarettes should be communicated to the public in a simple and effective manner, and that this should be provided for in the General Scheme of the Bill.

3. The sale of e-cigarettes to those under-18 should be restricted as provided for in the General Scheme.

4. State agencies should effectively utilise and promote the findings of the Health Research Board evidence review and proactively communicate such findings to smokers and users of e-cigarettes.

5. The Health Research Board and other state bodies should continually review scientific evidence in relation to e-cigarettes, given the speed of change and development in the nature of nicotine inhaling products.

6. That funding for state supports for those quitting cigarettes should be substantially increased. These supports should be universally available at no cost to those wishing to quit cigarettes.

7. Head 16 which includes the prohibition on the sale of tobacco products from temporary or movable premises should be extended to e-cigarettes.

8. Head 17 which will introduce restrictions on the sale of tobacco products from a counter or point of sale only should be extended to e-cigarettes.

9. Head 21 which restricts the sale of tobacco products at events or places intended for children should be extended to e-cigarettes.

10. The sale of tobacco products or nicotine-inhaling products by all persons under the age of 18 years, regardless of the nature of the family relationship to the licensee, should be prohibited.

Read more about the work done by The Joint Committee on Health