Written answers
Wednesday, 17 January 2024
Department of Health
Healthcare Policy
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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1591. To ask the Minister for Health the measures he is taking to control access to vaping products for children under the age of 18 years to restrict the sale of highly flavoured vapes which are marketed towards children and to control the levels of nicotine in vapes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57092/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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It is an offence to sell e-cigarettes to persons under 18 since 22 December 2023 when section 28 of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 was commenced. The offence carries a penalty of a fine up to €4,000 and/up to a six month term of imprisonment.
The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act will also introduce:
- a prohibition on the sale of nicotine inhaling products from self-service vending machines, temporary or moveable premises, and events aimed at children.
- a prohibition on the advertising of nicotine inhaling products near schools, in cinemas, or on public transport.
- My Department recently completed a public consultation to help inform future regulation of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products. This consultation looked at what further measures could be introduced to decrease the appeal of nicotine inhaling products to young people. Views were sought on the following areas:
- The display of nicotine inhaling products in shops
- Nicotine inhaling product flavours
- The appearance of nicotine inhaling products and their packaging
- Proxy sales of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products
- Smoking in outdoor dining areas
- Extending smoke free restrictions to vaping
- Increasing the age of sale for tobacco products
- Taxation of vaping liquids
- In the context of all of these considerations, options for the development of further and comprehensive legislation on nicotine inhaling products will be examined.
- The nicotine content of nicotine inhaling products is regulated by the Tobacco Products Directive (Directive 2014/40/EU). These Regulations also provide for mandatory safety and quality requirements for e-cigarettes and refill containers, including maximum volumes for cartridges, tanks and nicotine liquid containers. These Regulations were transposed into Irish law by S.I. 271 of 2016.
Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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1592. To ask the Minister for Health the number of ministerial licence applications and MCAP applications have been made by clinics (details supplied); what products are available from these clinics; which products are available under MCAP and covered for reimbursement; when the MCAP review report is expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57098/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The identity of clinicians who either apply for a Ministerial Licence or to enter the Cannabis for Medical Use Register for the purpose of treating their patients is confidential and will not be made public.
The products available to MCAP patients are defined as "specified controlled drugs" S.I. No. 262/2019 - Misuse Of Drugs (Prescription And Control Of Supply Of Cannabis For Medical Use) Regulations 2019, and are contained in Schedule 1 of the Regulations as set out below and are covered by the Long |Term Illness, GMS or Medical Card as appropriate.
| Name of Cannabis product or preparation and brand name | Dosage form | Concentration of THC (percentage, weight/weight or weight/volume) | Name of manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora High CBD Oil Drops | Oral solution | Less than 3% w/v (< 30mg/ml) This product also contains cannabidiol (CBD) 60% w/v (600mg/ml) | Aurora Cannabis Enterprises Inc., 4439 Township Road 304, Cremona, Alberta, Canada, T0M 0R0 |
| CannEpil ™ | Oral solution | 0.5% w/v (5mg/ml) This product also contains cannabidiol (CBD) 10% w/v (100mg/ml) | MGC Pharmaceuticals d.o.o., Kamniška ulica 29, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia |
| Tilray Oral Solution THC10:CBD10 (25ml) | Oral solution | 1% w/v (10mg/ml) This product also contains cannabidiol (CBD) 1% w/v (10mg/ml) | Tilray Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Zona Industrial de Cantanhede, Lote 121, Cantanhede, 3060-197, Portugal |
| Aurora Sedamen Softgels | Capsules | 5mg/capsule This product also contains cannabidiol (CBD) less than 0.2mg/capsule | Aurora Cannabis Enterprises Inc. 4250 14th Avenue, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3R 0J3 |
| Oleo Bedrobinol | Dried flower | 13.5% w/w (135mg/g) This product also contains cannabidiol (CBD) less than 1.0% w/w (less than 10mg/g) | Bureau voor Medicinale Cannabis Postbus 16114 2500 BC DEN HAAG The Netherlands |
| Oleo Bedrocan | Dried flower | 22% w/w (220mg/g) This product also contains cannabidiol (CBD) less than 1.0% w/w (less than 10mg/g) | Bureau voor Medicinale Cannabis Postbus 16114 2500 BC DEN HAAG The Netherlands |
| Althea CBD12:THC10 (50ml) | Oil | 1% w/v THC (10mg/ml) This product also contains 1.25% w/v (12.5mg/ml) cannabidiol (CBD) | Tasmanian Alkaloids pty Ltd T/A Extractas Bioscience, Westbury, Tasmania, Australia 7303 |
| Oleo Genetics 10:10 | Oil (oral solution) | 1% w/v (10mg/ml) This product also contains cannabidiol (CBD) 1% w/v (10mg/ml) | ADREX Pharma GmbH Firmungstrabe 4 56068 Koblenz Germany |
| Oleo Genetics 25:1 | Oil (oral solution) | 2.5% w/v (25mg/ml) This product also contains cannabidiol (CBD) <0.1% w/v (<1mg/ml) | ADREX Pharma GmbH Firmungstrabe 4 56068 Koblenz Germany |
| Althea THC20:CBD1 (50ml) | Oil | 2% w/v THC (20mg/ml) This product also contains <0.1% w/v (<0.1mg/ml) cannabidiol (CBD) | Tasmanian Alkaloids pty Ltd T/A Extractas Bioscience, Westbury, Tasmania, Australia 7303 |
The MCAP review is anticipated to be completed in 2024.
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