Profile
Ireland Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Ireland Background
Profile
Ireland Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2025.   Page updated: 2025-11-05

The Republic of Ireland abides by the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) (2014). The law relating to e-cigarettes is Statutory Instrument No. 271 of 2016, European Union (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016. Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are regulated as tobacco products. Vaping is not officially prohibited in public places, but many locations have imposed their own vaping bans. Domestic advertising is permitted within the confines of EU law and cross-border sales remain legal providing the retailer is registered with the government.

Prevalence

265,457
1
2021
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 4% 2A
2019 5% 2B
2021 6.7% 2C
2022 6% 2D A
2023 5% 2E
2023 8% 2F
2024 11.2% 2G
References:
  1. Healthy Ireland survey 2017. Available at: http://www.healthyireland.ie/accessibility/healthy-ireland-survey/#publications
  2. Healthy Ireland Survey documents. https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/231c02-healthy-ireland-survey-wave/ (2019).
  3. European Commission. (2021). Special Eurobarometer 506: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes (S2240_506_ENG). European Commission. http://data.europa.eu/88u/dataset/S2240_506_ENG
  4. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-irl.pdf?sfvrsn=2c981716_3&download=true. Accessed: 7 August 2025.
  5. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
  6. Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking
  7. Healthy Ireland Survey 2024 cited in WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Adults survey: Healthy Ireland Survey, 2022; National, ages 15+
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2022 5% 2A A
2024 11.1% 2B
References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-irl.pdf?sfvrsn=2c981716_3&download=true. Accessed: 7 August 2025.
  2. Healthy Ireland Survey 2024 cited in WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Adults survey: Healthy Ireland Survey, 2022; National, ages 15+
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2022 7% 2A A
2024 11.3% 2B
References:
  1. WHO. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2023. Available at: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/country-profiles/tobacco/gtcr-2023/tobacco-2023-irl.pdf?sfvrsn=2c981716_3&download=true. Accessed: 7 August 2025.
  2. Healthy Ireland Survey 2024 cited in WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
Comments:
  1. Adults survey: Healthy Ireland Survey, 2022; National, ages 15+
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2023 4.2% 3A A
2023 5% 3B
References:
  1. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
  2. Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking
Comments:
  1. E-cigarettes with nicotine
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 16% 3A
2019 12% 3B
2023 20% 3C
References:
  1. Healthy Ireland survey 2017. Available at: http://www.healthyireland.ie/accessibility/healthy-ireland-survey/#publications
  2. Healthy Ireland Survey documents. https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/231c02-healthy-ireland-survey-wave/ (2019).
  3. Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking
References:
  1. European Commission. (2021). Special Eurobarometer 506: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes (S2240_506_ENG). European Commission. http://data.europa.eu/88u/dataset/S2240_506_ENG
  2. Healthy Ireland Survey 2024 cited in WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
  3. Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking

Product promotion

No
1
2024
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier Yes A
2025 Yes
Comments:
  1. Allowed or banned at place of sale or allowed or banned in all media.
References:
  1. Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.

Regulation

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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier Allowed
2025 Allowed 1B
References:
  1. Data cross-referenced where possible using the following sources :1. Vapetrotter website. Available at: https://www.vapetrotter.com/laws/ ; 2. Global tobacco control website. Available at:https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/node/14052 ; 3. Tobacco Control Laws website. Available at : https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/
  2. 1. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Ireland. Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/ireland/e-cigarettes?row=1228691. Accessed: 23 July 2025. 2. Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
Yes
2
Yes
2
References:
  1. 1. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Ireland. Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/ireland/e-cigarettes?row=1228691. Accessed: 23 July 2025. 2. Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
  2. Data cross-referenced where possible using the following sources :1. Vapetrotter website. Available at: https://www.vapetrotter.com/laws/ ; 2. Global tobacco control website. Available at:https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/node/14052 ; 3. Tobacco Control Laws website. Available at : https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/

Availability

References:
  1. Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
  2. 1. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Ireland. Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/ireland/e-cigarettes?row=1228691. Accessed: 23 July 2025. 2. Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
  3. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction

Regulations and restrictions

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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier YES
2025 YES 1A
References:
  1. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Ireland. Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/ireland/e-cigarettes?row=1228691. Accessed: 23 July 2025.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier YES
2023 YES 2A
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=97. Accessed: 30 July 2025.
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier YES
2024 YES 3A
References:
  1. Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
Yes: 18 years
4
2016
NO
3
2024
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier Yes
2024 Yes 3A A
References:
  1. Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
Comments:
  1. Equal or less than 20mg/ml
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier NO
2025 YES
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Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier YES
2025 2 ml or less 1A
References:
  1. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Ireland. Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/ireland/e-cigarettes?row=1228691. Accessed: 23 July 2025.
References:
  1. Tobacco Control Laws. Legislation by Country/Jurisdiction Ireland. Available at: https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/ireland/e-cigarettes?row=1228691. Accessed: 23 July 2025.
  2. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=97. Accessed: 30 July 2025.
  3. Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
  4. https://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/products/revision_en
Comments:
  1. Equal or less than 20mg/ml

Perception of harm

References:
  1. Reference: European Commission (2017). Special Eurobarometer 458: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes Available at: http://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S2146_87_1_458_ENG
Comments:
  1. Question asked in this survey did not compare harmfulness with cigarettes. The question used was 'Do you think they are harmful to the health of people who use them?' 59% - YES, 27% - NO, 14% DON'T KNOW

Tax

No excise taxes on this product
1
2024
References:
  1. Anti Smoking Global Index. Vaping Products. Available at: https://antismoking.global/world-map. Accessed: 22 July 2025.
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team. However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product categories can change at short notice and with little publicity. If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region, you should verify the information independently. If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details and any references and we will rectify any errors.