Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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472. To ask the Minister for Health his plans, if any, to introduce further regulations into the sale and supply of vapes to reduce their attractiveness to young people; if there is any estimation on the number of people that currently vape; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45412/22]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill which is currently being drafted will prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to persons under 18 years of age. It will also prohibit their sale by persons under 18. The Bill will also require that any retailer of e-cigarettes must have a licence to be renewed annually. These measures together are likely to reduce the availability of e-cigarettes to young people.

The main legislation regulating e-cigarettes in Ireland is the EU Tobacco Products Directive which was transposed into Irish law through the EU (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016. The Directive regulates e-cigarette devices, the ingredients of e-cigarettes, the packaging in which e-cigarettes are sold and the marketing of the product. The Directive is currently being reviewed at EU level and the European Commission has made it clear that the outcome of the review is likely to be a strengthening of the Directive in relation to e-cigarettes and other novel tobacco products.

In relation to the numbers of people who vape, the 2021 Healthy Ireland Survey found that 4% of the population over 15 use e-cigarettes.