Donnelly to hike smoking age to 21 and limit vapes
THE legal age at which a person can buy cigarettes is set to be raised to 21, under new plans by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
As Government marked 20 years yesterday since the indoor smoking ban was introduced, the minister revealed he is drafting legislation to raise the legal age and also vowed to ‘come down hard’ on vaping.
This would include a ban on flavoured and disposable vapes, as well as introducing a display ban in shops, similar to what is already applied to cigarettes.
These are among a range of measures Mr Donnelly has been working on with officials in the Department of Health to discourage smoking and vaping.
In Britain, prime minister Rishi Sunak has proposed raising the legal smoking age by one year every year until it is eventually illegal for the whole population.
Asked if Government is considering similar measures, Mr Donnelly said: ‘Certainly what we’ve been looking at is can we and should we increase the minimum age from 18 to 21?
‘It formed part of our public consultation. We’re going to be looking at that. And my own belief is we should,’ he said.
‘With a smoking age of 18, they find it relatively easy to either buy the cigarettes themselves or get, you know, a friend or an older sibling to get them. But that if you move the age to 21, it makes it much more difficult.’
Mr Donnelly also said that recent legislation banning under-18s from purchasing vapes has had an immediate effect.
‘We brought in the ban on under18s being able to buy vapes at the end of last year,’ he said.
‘It’s been implemented rigorously right across the country. Today we’re commencing more parts of the act around advertising vapes or nicotine-inhaling products in cinemas where there are movies aimed at children, on public transport, and in other areas as well.’
He said that the HSE would now also be working with 15 to 17-yearolds and sending them into shops ‘to make sure that the ban is working and where it’s not, that prosecutions arise where that is necessary’.
Mr Donnelly said: ‘We are drafting a second piece of legislation that’s looking at that point of sale. We’re all familiar with the shops and with the petrol stations where you go in and you’re bombarded with all of these bright colours at point of sale, flavourings...
‘I believe it’s a very cynical attempt to market to children, to young people with bubblegum flavour and watermelon flavour and so forth.
‘So we’re looking at flavourings, we’re looking at packaging, as well.’
Mr Donnelly said that he was hopeful that he would be able to bring in the legislation before the end of the term of this Government. He also said there are plans to ban disposable vapes.
Chris Macey, the advocacy manager of the Irish Heart Foundation, welcomed the move. He said: ‘Trump brought it in in America in 2019, it led after its introduction to a reduction of about a third among 18 to 20-year-olds.’
‘Attempt to market it to children’