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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: 2026-03-20

In Ireland, e-cigarettes are legally allowed, including purchase through online channels and vending machines. They are also available in general retail outlets. The law mandates notification for new e-cigarette products and requires them to be sold in child-resistant and tamper-proof containers. Health warnings on packaging are mandatory, and the minimum legal age for purchase is 18 years. Notably, there are no restrictions on product flavours. However, there are limits on nicotine content, which must be equal to or less than 20 mg/ml. Restrictions also apply to their use in public places, and tank sizes must not exceed 2 ml. There is no excise tax on e-cigarettes in Ireland.

In a survey conducted in 2017, 14% of respondents stated that they had no idea whether vaping is harmful to health, 27% believed that vaping is not harmful or is less harmful than cigarettes, and 59% responded that vaping is harmful to health or more harmful than cigarettes.

In terms of prevalence, there were an estimated 265,457 current vapers in 2021. As of 2025, adult current e-cigarette use prevalence was 8%. In 2024, 11.1% of adult females and 11.3% of adult males reported being current e-cigarette users. The adult daily e-cigarette vaping prevalence was 5% in 2023, and in the same year, 20% of respondents stated that they had ever tried e-cigarettes.

Prevalence

265,457
1
2021
Year Value Reference/Comment
2015 3% 2A A
2016 3% 2A A
2017 4% 2A A
2017 4% 2B
2018 4% 2C A
2019 5% 2D
2019 5% 2C A
2021 6.7% 2E
2021 4% 2F A
2022 6% 2G B
2022 6% 2H A
2023 5% 2I
2023 8% 2J A
2023 8% 2K
2024 11.2% 2L
2024 8% 2M A
2025 8% 2J A
References:
  1. https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/28041/1/Healthy-Ireland-Survey-18-October_for-printing.pdf
  2. Healthy Ireland survey 2017. Available at: http://www.healthyireland.ie/accessibility/healthy-ireland-survey/#publications
  3. https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/31349/1/healthy.pdf
  4. Healthy Ireland Survey documents. https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/231c02-healthy-ireland-survey-wave/ (2019).
  5. 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
  6. https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/healthy-ireland-survey-report-2021.pdf
  7. 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.
  8. https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/healthy-ireland-survey-report-2022.pdf
  9. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
  10. https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/2b9f909b/Healthy_Ireland_Summary_Report_2025_Web_07.11.2025.pdf
  11. Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking
  12. 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
  13. https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/42364/1/Healthy-Ireland-Survey-Summary-Report-2024.pdf
Comments:
  1. Cohort: 15+.
  2. Adults survey: Healthy Ireland Survey, 2022; National, ages 15+
Year Value Reference/Comment
2022 5% 3A A
2024 11.1% 3B
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+
Year Value Reference/Comment
2022 7% 3A A
2024 11.3% 3B
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+
Year Value Reference/Comment
2023 4.2% 4A A
2023 5% 4B
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% 4A
2019 12% 4B
2023 20% 4C
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. https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/2b9f909b/Healthy_Ireland_Summary_Report_2025_Web_07.11.2025.pdf
  3. 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
  4. Healthy Ireland Survey 2023. (2023, November 22). Department of Health. https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/73c9d-healthy-ireland-survey-2023/#smoking
Comments:
  1. Cohort: 15+.

Product promotion

No
1
2024
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

Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier Allowed 1A
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

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.
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.
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
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
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier NO
2025 YES
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.

Publications

Dec
2023

Tobacco harm reduction and people experiencing homelessness – a UK perspective

With such high smoking rates among people who experience homelessness or rough sleeping in the UK, this Briefing Paper looks at the potential for tobacco harm reduction to help reduce the health inequalities seen in this vulnerable population.

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.