The Irish Heart Foundation welcomed the new e-cigarette tax and the €1 increase on the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes as crucial protections for children and young people from nicotine addiction.

Director of Advocacy, Chris Macey said: “The new tax specifically targeting e-cigarettes is particularly important given the explosion of youth vaping in Ireland and fears they represent a gateway into smoking for a new generation of young people.

“Given the fact that nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the planet, it is unfortunate that the introduction of the tax is not scheduled to take place until mid-2025. However, the rate selected can have a significant impact on youth vaping rates without deterring people using e-cigarettes to quit smoking.”

Mr Macey added that the increase of €1 was the biggest increase in the price of a pack of cigarettes for years and was a mark of the role tax policy plays in reducing smoking rates particularly among young people.