Retailers selling tobacco and vaping products will have to apply and pay for a licence from next year as part of a Government plan to reduce the number of people who smoke.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Minister of State for Public Health Colm Burke have announced the commencement of the remaining sections of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023.
These sections, which will come into operation on February 2nd, 2026, introduce a licensing system for the sale of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products such as e-cigarettes.
At present, retailers selling tobacco products must register and pay a once-off fee of €50. There are no requirements for those seeking to sell nicotine-inhaling products.
Ireland’s 11 billionaires saw their wealth grow by a third to €50bn in 2024
‘There could be two cars, but the fridge is empty’: Hidden poverty in middle-class Ireland
‘The phone would ring and it would be Mike Scott from the Waterboys or Bono from U2. Everyone wanted to talk to my father’
The future you: 10 habits to acquire for long-term health and happiness
Under the new system, annual licences will be required for the sale of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products, with applications to be made to the HSE’s National Environmental Health Service, which has been given powers to issue licences. The annual fee will be €1,000 for the sale of tobacco products and €800 for the sale of nicotine-inhaling products.
The law also provides that licences will not be issued for temporary or mobile premises, such as pop-up shops at festivals, and for licences to be suspended or revoked.
Mr Donnelly said he hopes the new system will “act as a disincentive” and help in achieving the objective of eliminating tobacco use.
“Similarly it is my intention that a licensing regime for nicotine inhaling products will similarly reduce the number of outlets where they are sold, in turn reducing the use of vapes by young people and non-smokers,” he said.
“Retailers have always shown co-operation and compliance on the introduction of new tobacco control measures and I look forward to that same spirit on the introduction of this system.”
Mr Donnelly said he was “confident” the 13-month lead in time would ensure “retailers have sufficient notice to prepare”.
“It will be another important achievement within our overall strategy to reach a tobacco free Ireland,” he added.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
