The Department of Health-led move is aimed at stopping young people from using nicotine vapes – but vape-shop owner Eoin O’Boyle says people will head to Northern Ireland to buy them much cheaper
Dr McGovern, who is based in Dublin, said he was concerned at the knock-on impact of the move on smokers of traditional cigarettes, as the tax of 50c per millilitre is imposed on all e-liquids.
“There should be no barriers put in the way of people who are trying to quit cigarettes,” he said.
Vape refills used by adult former smokers will more than double in price, with a 10ml nicotine salt e-liquid rising from €5 to between €11 and €15 at a minimum, with costs, which must also include Vat, varying per retailer.
Nicotine-free e-liquid will also be taxed and a 50ml product will rise in price from around €10-€15 to €35-€55, with a 100ml version costing up to €85 or more.
“We have taken our eye off the ball when it comes to smoking cancer-causing cigarettes and we need to get rates down,” he said.
The tax hike, promoted by the Department of Health, is mainly aimed at stopping young people using nicotine vapes.
Almost a third of Irish teenagers have vaped
New tax to increase cost of vapes and refills by up to 100pc
Dr McGovern said the most price-sensitive group were younger people but their preferred choice of disposable vapes will increase in cost the least, with a 2ml product up from around €8 to more than €9.
“There are always ways of protecting youth and the age restriction on anyone under 18 buying vapes needs to be properly enforced.”
He said nicotine was addictive but better-quality studies were needed to validate some of the claims around it.
However, Chris Macey, of the Irish Heart Foundation, welcomed the tax, saying there has been an “explosion” in vaping among young people.
“Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the planet and research shows that increasing the price of either vapes or cigarettes is the biggest deterrent to young people starting to use them,” he said. “Nearly a third of teenagers in Ireland have used vapes, with the most common age of initiation being 14-15 years of age.
Almost a third of Irish teenagers have vaped
“This is hugely worrying given the evidence that vaping can affect brain development in young people, cause harm to the heart, blood vessels and lungs and is a gateway to smoking.
“Ireland was one of the last countries in Europe to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to children. And more than half of our EU counterparts have already introduced a specific tax on vapes.”
Vape shop owner Eoin O’Boyle said the tax rise would fuel cross-border trade to Northern Ireland where vapes will be much cheaper as well as lead to more being sold on the black market, affecting legitimate retailers.
A vape product which would cost around €12 here might be sold for €2 in Northern Ireland.
Vapes would cost around €12 here. Photo: Getty
“On a business level it is horrendous but it is the people who have used vapes to give up smoking who make up most of my customers who will be affected,” said Mr O’Boyle who runs the OB Vape shop in Drogheda, Co Louth.
Eoin O’Boyle owns OB Vape in Drogheda
“That is the core of my business. These are adults who want to quit.”
He said many shops had been buying extra supplies for months in anticipation of the tax and they would be able to hold off on passing on the price for a while – but they can expect big demand as customers try to also stockpile.
“I could have three or six months’ worth of existing stock but I don’t know how soon it will be sold,” he said. “I have long called for a proper licensing system to remove bad actors. I have never sold to a minor and the age ban must be properly enforced.
“Also, how are inspectors going to ensure they go after outlets like the many phone shops or even barber shops where vapes are being sold to fully investigate if they are paying the tax.
“I am in favour of putting a heavy tax on disposable vapes.”
The UK will introduce a vape tax next October that will narrow the price gap between the North and the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Government said it is planning additional measures to restrict flavours, ban disposable vapes, and limit promotion in shops.
Responsible Vaping Ireland, representing more than 3,500 independent vape retailers, welcomed the tax as a “positive and necessary step that will help strengthen enforcement and ensure a level playing field for compliant, responsible retailers”.
“We believe this tax, if properly enforced, will make it harder for non-compliant sellers to operate and will ultimately support public health.”