The government will ban the sale of nicotine pouches to under-18s and advance plans to prohibit disposable vape sales, the Cabinet will hear today.
Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will update Cabinet on her plans to add nicotine pouches to legislation banning the sale of certain nicotine products to children through amendments to the Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Product Bill.
Nicotine Pouch Restrictions
The legislation, introduced in 2023, already prohibited advertising within 200 meters of schools, on public transport and at events aimed at children. These restrictions will now extend to nicotine pouches, also known as snus.
The pouches, which are placed between the lip and gum, are “not yet covered by the same laws as tobacco products,” according to the HSE website, meaning “they may be easier for young people to buy and use.”
The products contain nicotine, flavoring, sweeteners, fillers and other chemicals. Unlike traditional tobacco products, the nicotine in these pouches is manufactured in laboratories rather than derived from tobacco.
Additional Tobacco Restrictions
Other amendments to the bill will impose restrictions on the colors of nicotine and tobacco products and ban point-of-sale displays and advertising in shops.
Disposable Vape Ban
Minister Carroll MacNeill will also seek government approval to publish legislation banning the sale of disposable vapes. The ban will take effect six months after the act’s commencement.
Statutory Inquiry into Children’s Healthcare
Separately, the health minister will bring a memo to Cabinet recommending a statutory inquiry into issues relating to the care of children with scoliosis and spina bifida. The recommendation follows her meeting last week with the parents of Harvey Morrison-Sherratt, a nine-year-old scoliosis patient who died in July.
NFL Returns to Ireland
Sports Minister Patrick O’Donovan will inform colleagues that conversations are underway to hold another NFL game in Ireland next autumn, with “a number of potential teams in the mix.”
Early indications show that the Steelers versus Vikings game held at Croke Park in September was the second-highest-grossing overseas NFL game of all time, demonstrating strong commercial success for bringing American football to Irish audiences.
Apprenticeship Investment
Higher Education Minister James Lawless will bring a memo to Cabinet noting a €20.5 million investment in apprenticeships. The funding will be allocated across four technological universities and one institute of technology, delivering over 1,500 new apprentice places.
The multi-faceted Cabinet agenda reflects government priorities around youth health protection, sports development and skills training as Ireland continues to address challenges in public health and workforce development.