Top Takeaways:

• Ireland’s Cabinet is scheduled to release the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025, which will ban single-use disposable vapes six months after it becomes law.
• The same law will expand oversight to include nicotine pouches, which are currently unregulated under existing laws.
• Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill called comprehensive regulation of nicotine inhaling products her “legislative priority,” covering packaging, flavors, and display.

The Irish Government is moving forward with legislation to ban the retail sale of single-use or disposable vapes and to tighten regulation of nicotine pouches, confirmed Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill.

According to reporting by The Journal, the Cabinet will consider the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025, which proposes a ban on single-use vapes six months after the act becomes law.

Under the draft bill’s provisions, disposable vapes—usually devices that can’t be refilled—would be banned from sale in Ireland, aiming to reduce youth use and address environmental issues.

Minister MacNeill also plans to amend the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill to extend regulation to nicotine pouches, which are currently not covered by existing tobacco or vaping law.

Nicotine pouches have raised concerns among public health advocates. The Irish Cancer Society criticized the government for being slow to regulate these new products, warning they “risk exposing young people to addictive substances.”

In a Dáil Éireann debate on 15 July 2025, MacNeill said, “My current legislative priority is the comprehensive regulation of nicotine inhaling products, addressing point of sale display, the appearance of these devices, packaging, flavors, and a ban on disposable vapes.”

The move comes as Ireland joins a growing list of nations tightening control of vaping devices amid youth use and environmental concerns. According to multiple outlets, the disposable-vape ban is expected to reach Cabinet for approval imminently, with the bill’s publication to follow.

Retail and manufacturing sectors are awaiting the detailed text to understand compliance requirements, transition periods, and enforcement mechanisms. The main measure – banning disposable vapes six months after enactment – would give retailers time to adjust inventories and supply chains.

Regarding nicotine pouches, MacNeill stated that current legislation does not “future-proof” against products that “look like sweets” and could attract teenagers. If approved, Ireland’s regulatory framework will significantly tighten oversight in one of Europe’s more active nicotine-product markets.