Profile
Ireland Flag
Cigarettes
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Ireland Background
Profile
Ireland Flag
Cigarettes
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2023.   Page updated: 2024-07-23

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

Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 146.7 thousand 1A
2019 189.3 thousand 1B
2021 260.9 thousand 1C
2023 199.2 thousand 1D
2023 318.7 thousand 1E
References:
  1. 1. Healthy Ireland survey 2017. Available at: http://www.healthyireland.ie/accessibility/healthy-ireland-survey/#publications 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. 1. Healthy Ireland Survey documents. https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/231c02-healthy-ireland-survey-wave/ (2019). 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  3. 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. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  4. 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. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  5. 1. Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 4% 2A
2019 5% 2B
2021 6.7% 2C
2023 5% 2D
2023 8% 2E
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. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
  5. Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking
Year Value Reference/Comment
2023 4.2% 2A A
2023 5% 2B
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
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 16% 2A
2019 12% 2B
2023 20% 2C
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. 1. Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking

Product promotion

Comments:
  1. Allowed or banned at place of sale or allowed or banned in all media.

Regulation

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/

Availability

Regulations and restrictions

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
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.