Age to buy cigarettes and vapes to rise from 18 to 21

New legislation is due to come before Cabinet which will rise the legal age to buy tabacco and tabacco products from 18 to 21.

The Minister of Health, Stephen Donnelly, is due to seek Cabinet approval this week for the legislation to increase the legal age by three years.

While less young people in Ireland are smoking cigarettes, the numbers seem to have plateaued in recent years. The hope is that rising the age from 18 to 21 will deter younger people to smoke cigarettes and vapes, lowering numbers once again.

Minister Donnelly announced his intention to introduce this legislation back in March.

"Really, it's a measure aimed at people who are 15, 16, 17 years of age that with a smoking age at 18, they find it relatively easy to buy cigarettes...but that if you move to 21 it makes it much more difficult," he said.

A ban on the sale of tobacco and vape products from vending machines is also set to be introduced.

Further legislation is planned to ban disposable vapes, address issues around the flavours of vapes and the bright colours of vape packaging.

According to the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland Policy Group (RCPI), around 4,500 people die in Ireland each year from the effects of smoking - making it the single biggest contributor to early death. 

The Irish Heart Foundation has welcomed moves to raise the legal age for the sale of tobacco products to 21 as a 'ground-breaking' measure to 'save the next generation from the scourge of smoking', according to Chris Macey, director of advocacy and patient support with the national charity.

HSE data in 2022 showed a 71% support for increasing the legal age from 18 to 21.

Smoking rates for all age groups in Ireland have continued to fall year-on-year and currently stand at 16.1%.