Vaping Ban: Is The Government Treating Adults Like Children Again? Episode 812

In this episode, Niall looks at the Government’s latest crackdown on vaping, and asks whether this is a sensible public health measure or another example of the nanny state treating adults like children.

The Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 has now passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas, paving the way for a ban on the sale of disposable vapes in Ireland. Once the law is commenced, retailers are expected to be given six months to sell off existing stock before enforcement begins. After that, health enforcement officers will be able to carry out inspections to make sure single-use vapes are no longer being sold.

Supporters say the ban is long overdue. They argue that disposable vapes are cheap, colourful, easy to hide and clearly attractive to children and teenagers. They also point to the environmental damage caused by millions of plastic, battery-operated devices being thrown away.

But this is only one part of the Government’s wider plan.

A separate piece of legislation, the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2026, is also moving through the Oireachtas. That Bill would bring in much stricter rules on how vapes are sold and presented. It would ban retail advertising, restrict point-of-sale displays in mixed retail outlets such as supermarkets, garages and newsagents, and place new controls on the colours, images and packaging used on vaping products.

Most controversially, it would limit vape flavour names to tobacco and unflavoured. That means popular flavours such as fruit, menthol, sweets, desserts and drinks could effectively disappear from ordinary legal sale.

The Government says this is about protecting children from nicotine addiction and stopping companies from using bright colours, sweet flavours and cartoon-style packaging to lure young people into vaping. The Oireachtas research digest notes that around 7% of adults vape daily, while youth vaping rates are higher, with one study showing 13% of 12 to 17-year-olds had vaped in the previous 30 days, and another showing 16% of 15 to 16-year-olds vaping.

But many adult vapers are furious. They say vaping helped them get off cigarettes, and that flavours were a major part of that. They argue that banning flavours will not stop teenagers getting products, but it may push adults back towards smoking, or push both adults and young people into the black market.

So is the Government right to act strongly to protect children from nicotine addiction, or is it punishing adults who used vaping as a way to stop smoking?

Should disposable vapes and flavoured liquids be banned, or should adults be free to make their own choices?

Niall discusses the issue and asks whether Ireland is protecting public health, or simply banning anything the State does not like.