People under the age of 21 should not be allowed to buy e-cigarettes, vapes or other tobacco products, the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland claimed today.
The RCPI made a submission before the Joint Committee on Health in relation to pre-legislative scrutiny of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019.
Prof Des Cox, a consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine at Children’s Health Ireland, Crumlin and the RCPI representative, said e-cigarettes and vapes should be subject to similar restrictions as cigarettes and other tobacco products.
He said the minimum age for the sale of tobacco products should be increased to 21.
Prof Cox also called for a ban on different flavours being offered by vaping products, other than the flavour of tobacco.
He said: “Increase the prohibition of the sale of tobacco and nicotine inhaled products from 18 to 21 years of age.
“Countries such as the US and Singapore have implemented a Tobacco 21 policy and recent evidence suggests that tobacco smoking reduced among 18 to 20-year-olds as a result.
“Prohibit the sale of nicotine inhaled products flavourings apart from tobacco flavoured products.
“Adolescents are more likely to initiate nicotine inhaled products use through flavoured products relative to other age groups.
“While adults may also enjoy flavours, the risks of nicotine inhaled products initiation in adolescents and young adults outweigh the benefits of ex-smokers using flavoured products.
“Finland’s 2016 ban on flavours did not result in less smokers using nicotine inhaled products as a quit smoking tool.”
Prof Cox also said vapes and e-cigarettes should not be sold in vending machines or at events where children are present.
He also said he same restrictions on advertising and marketing of tobacco products should be applied to vapes and e-cigarettes.
Prof Cox said: “Smoking causes over 6000 deaths and 1,000 hospitalisations each year.
“Every day doctors and other healthcare professionals have to pick up the pieces – breaking bad news to patients and their families about cancer caused by smoking, arranging care for preventable illnesses caused by smoking like heart attacks and stroke, supporting people living with ongoing disability, like chronic lung disease.
“Nicotine inhaled products are commonly used today in Ireland, often promoted as a safer alternative to tobacco smoking.
“Studies show that nicotine inhaled products are a gateway to tobacco smoking.
“Adolescents whoever used nicotine inhaled products are between 3 and 5 times more likely to start smoking compared with adolescents who have never used nicotine inhaled products.
“Although they contain fewer harmful substances when compared with tobacco smoking, research on their long-term health effects, particularly from animal studies, suggests that substances contained in nicotine inhaled products can cause brain, heart and lung damage.”
However, John Dunne, of Vape Business Ireland, insists that vaping products are a useful tool for quitters.
He also said he supports a minimum age of 18 for buying vaping products.
Mr Dunne said: ”While the evidence does not point to a huge youth vaping problem in Ireland, we need to urgently ban underage sales, whilst ensuring adult smokers have an alternative that works.
“The fact is that the data indicates that youth uptake for use remains low.
“This is not a gateway into smoking – it is the most effective tool for helping smokers quit for good.”
