Ireland’s nicotine flavour ban ‘would trap smokers with cigarettes’

International health experts have welcomed an EU-level challenge that has delayed Ireland’s sweeping restrictions on safer nicotine alternatives.

The intervention by Greece and Italy forces Dublin to reconsider rules that would deter millions of smokers seeking to switch away from deadly cigarettes.

Ireland must now explain why it is necessary and proportionate to restrict vape flavour names to “Tobacco” and “Unflavoured”, and why targeted measures to prevent youth vaping would not achieve the same goal.

Dr Delon Human, leader of Smoke Free Sweden, says non-tobacco flavours play a vital role in helping smokers switch to safer products.

“Many smokers begin vaping with tobacco flavours but later move to fruit, menthol or other options as they distance themselves from the taste and smell of cigarettes,” he said.

“Removing legally labelled alternatives could make vaping less appealing, create confusion for consumers and push some former smokers back to combustible tobacco – the deadliest form of nicotine available.”

International evidence has proved that flavour bans do not achieve their stated objective.

Since Denmark banned most vape flavours in 2022, youth vaping has risen and adults continue to obtain prohibited flavours through illicit markets.

Research from Yale University has also found that adults using non-tobacco flavours are more likely to quit smoking, while removing flavoured products from legal shelves can increase cigarette sales.

“Adult smokers need alternatives that can help them leave cigarettes behind, including familiar flavours such as mint and citrus that are already widely used in nicotine replacement products,” said Dr Human, a former secretary-general of the World Medical Association. “Poorly designed restrictions simply strengthen the markets for cigarettes and illicit nicotine products.”

Ireland’s Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2026 would introduce sweeping controls on the appearance, packaging, advertising and retail display of vapes.

It would restrict colours and imagery on products and packaging, ban devices designed to resemble toys or other everyday items and place new controls on nicotine pouches and other non-tobacco nicotine products.

Greece and Italy submitted “detailed opinions” against the legislation through the European Commission’s Technical Regulation Information System, or TRIS, raising potential concerns about barriers to trade within the EU single market. The intervention has extended the bill’s standstill period from July 7 to October 7.

“Ireland should use the EU standstill period to reconsider its approach,” said Dr Human. “Protecting young people and helping smokers quit are compatible goals and a balanced policy can achieve both.

“Treating flavours primarily as a youth issue ignores their value to adults and risks strengthening the cigarette market, which remains the greatest threat to public health.”