Health authorities have notified vape retailers that underage teens will be deployed as test purchasers to ensure compliance with new legislation banning the sale of vaping products to minors. The initiative, already in effect and legally sanctioned, was outlined by the HSE following changes introduced in December 2023.
Environmental health officers are deploying minors to attempt purchases of vape products. These operations aim to ensure compliance with the new legal age limit of 18 for nicotine inhaling products, matching the existing tobacco sales law.
The penalty for selling vapes to anyone under 18 is a fine of up to €4,000 and six months in prison, with subsequent offenses including a €5,000 fine and up to 12 months in prison, under the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill.
We successfully defended a Publican in obtaining a strike out order where the licensed premises was selected under section 33 (2)(b) of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 for test sale to minors and proofs were not in order.
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