Home > Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 1638, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774 – Tobacco control measures [39630/22, 40368/22, 40369/22, 40370/22, 40371/22].

[Oireachtas] Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 1638, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774 – Tobacco control measures [39630/22, 40368/22, 40369/22, 40370/22, 40371/22]. (26 Jul 2022)

External website: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2022...


1638. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Health if he has any plans to introduce legislation to ban an activity (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39630/22]

Minister for Health: In April 2018, then Minister of State for Health Promotion Catherine Byrne responded to a Private Members motion that proposed to extend the legislative base for the smoking ban to outdoor areas where food is consumed. It was agreed that these measures could be examined after the current legislative priorities were completed.

The current priority is the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill. As well as introducing a new licensing system for the retail sale of tobacco products, this Bill also contains new control measures that would prohibit the sale of tobacco products from self - service vending machines, from temporary or moveable premises, and at events intended primarily for children.

Drafting of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill is ongoing with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Any organisation can introduce a tobacco free campus on their premises if they wish. The dangers of second hand smoke are well established and the introduction of a smoke free policy in any setting would be in line with the public health goals of Tobacco Free Ireland.

-----------------------------------------------

Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 1771, 1772 – Tobacco control measures [40368/22]

1771. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if Ireland will follow the example of the United States and cap the levels of nicotine contained in tobacco-inhaling products including e-cigarettes and other vaping devices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40368/22]

1772. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if Ireland will push for implementation of a cap on the levels of nicotine in tobacco-inhaling products including e-cigarettes and other vaping devices in the forthcoming European Commission review of the tobacco products directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40369/22]

Minister for Health: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1771 and 1772 together.

Nicotine levels in electronic cigarettes are already capped in Ireland under the European Union (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 271/2016). These Regulations transpose the EU Tobacco Products Directive (Directive 2014/40/EU) which limits the maximum nicotine concentration for electronic cigarettes to 20mg/ml.

-------------------------------------------------

Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 1773 – Tobacco control measures [40370/22] (26 July 2022)

1773. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the extent to which his Department and the HSE monitor juvenile consumption of tobacco-inhaling products, including e-cigarettes and other vaping products; if statistical analysis of juvenile use of such products has been carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40370/22]

Minister for Health: The prevalence of the use of both tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products such as electronic cigarettes continues to be monitored by both the Department of Health and the HSE, using several surveys of differing regularity and methodologies.

The Healthy Ireland survey has been conducted each year since 2015, monitoring a number of lifestyle indicators among people aged 15 years and older in Ireland. These surveys saw the number of people using electronic cigarettes rising from 3% in 2015 to 5% in 2019 and down to 4% in 2021.

The HSE's Smoking Prevalence tracker survey has been carried out quarterly since 2002, tracking prevalence among Irish adults aged 15 years and over. The data is weighted by gender, age, social class and region. The most recent report combining the findings of 2021's quarterly surveys found a prevalence of 6.1% in the use of electronic cigarettes.

On young people specifically, the 2018 Health Behaviour in School - Aged Children (HBSC) survey consisted of more than 15,000 young people aged 8 - 18 years old answering a self - completion questionnaire on a wide range of health behaviour issues.

This survey found that 26% of boys and 18% of girls reported having ever used electronic cigarettes. 10% of boys reported having used these products in the last 30 days with 7% of girls reporting the same. Overall, 22% of 12 to 17 year old children reported that they had ever used electronic cigarettes. This was the first time that a question on the use of electronic cigarettes had been included. The 2022 survey is currently being conducted.

The 2019 edition of Ireland's European Schools Project for Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) Survey, which collects comparable data on substance use among students aged 15 and 16, found that 39% of respondents had tried e-cigarettes and 18% were current users. This was the second time that this topic had been included in the ESPAD survey and showed an increase in levels recorded in both responses from the previous 2015 survey.

The findings of these surveys will continue to be monitored by my Department.

Provisions within the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill will further regulate nicotine inhaling products such as electronic cigarettes and reduce their availability to young people. These measures will include prohibiting the sale of these products by or to anyone under the age of 18, and the creation of a new licensing system for the retail sale of both tobacco and nicotine inhaling products. The Bill is currently being drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

--------------------------------------------

Dáil Éireann debate. Written answer 1774 – Health services [40371/22] (26 July 2022)

1774. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to plans by tobacco companies to become involved in healthcare provision in Ireland; and if he plans to monitor closely any possible plans by tobacco companies to enter the healthcare sector in Ireland. [40371/22]

Minister for Health: My Department continuously monitors activity by the tobacco industry including the recent and controversial diversification by one global tobacco company into respiratory medical devices.

As a party to the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Ireland has a legal obligation to protect its public health policies with respect to tobacco control from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with national law. We will continue to actively comply with that obligation.

Repository Staff Only: item control page