‘Vape tax hike will push people back to cigarettes or the black market’

A DROGHEDA vape shop owner has warned that the latest increase in vaping taxes could push some customers back towards cigarettes or the black market, while calling for greater enforcement to tackle the sale of vaping products to young people.

Eoin O'Boyle, who has operated independent family-run OB Vape in Southgate Shopping Centre at Colpe for eight years, was reacting to the latest Budget increase in excise duty on e-liquids.

The further 20 cent per millilitre increase comes on top of the 50 cent duty introduced last November, bringing the total to 70 cent per millilitre from January.

Mr O'Boyle, whose business draws customers from Drogheda and East Meath, says many are former smokers in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

He invested heavily in stock before the original tax was introduced and has so far maintained prices on most of those products rather than applying the tax retrospectively.

However, he says that stock is running out and customers have been warned that some products currently selling at pre-tax prices could rise to €13 or €14.

“Most of them turn around to me and say, ‘I'll probably go back smoking because I've only started my vaping journey,’” he said.

“Other people say, ‘I'll probably look at trying to get it in from England or get it on the black market.’”

Mr O'Boyle accepts vaping remains cheaper than smoking but argues that increasing living costs mean customers have less disposable income overall.

“Electricity is going up for people, food's gone up. So the disposable income they would have had for vaping or smoking has come down significantly.”

Vaping remains a contentious public-health issue, particularly because of its popularity among teenagers and concerns about nicotine addiction.

The HSE advises that vaping is not harmless and does not recommend e-cigarettes as a way to quit smoking, instead recommending licensed nicotine replacement therapies and stop-smoking supports.

Mr O'Boyle accepts that vaping is not risk-free and acknowledged concerns about the way some products are marketed and presented to young people.

“Of course, the packaging with vaping is something that is contentious because it's brightly coloured,” he said.

He said he was particularly uncomfortable with businesses displaying vaping products alongside sweets and products likely to appeal to younger customers.

Mr O'Boyle maintains a strict over-18 policy at his own shop and said very few underage customers now attempt to purchase there because of its reputation for requiring identification.

He also said he had invested in systems to flag potentially suspicious online orders and request identification.

However, he alleged that some other retailers are openly selling vaping products to children, claims which have not been independently verified.

Rather than relying primarily on taxation to discourage vaping, Mr O'Boyle wants greater enforcement of retail licensing, more inspections and test purchasing, stronger online age verification and action against illegal sellers operating through social media.

He believes retailers found selling to children should face serious consequences, including losing their licence.

Mr O'Boyle said he would also be prepared to accept tighter restrictions on his own business in an effort to prevent vaping products being marketed to young people.

He suggested specialist vape shops could have obscured windows, with customers required to provide identification on entering before being allowed access to products.

He also believes greater enforcement is needed to remove non-compliant products from the market.

Mr O'Boyle, 28, is himself a former smoker who switched to vaping and said his experience influenced his decision to enter the business.

He said many of his customers had smoked for decades before switching and believes their experience needs to form part of the wider debate.

“I'm not saying vaping's completely safe. I'm not saying it's the most amazing thing ever,” he said.

However, he believes increasing the cost for adults who have already moved away from cigarettes could have unintended consequences.

He also questioned the application of the excise duty to nicotine-free e-liquids, saying these products can be used by customers gradually reducing their nicotine intake.

Mr O'Boyle said he had previously appeared before an Oireachtas health committee to discuss vaping regulation and has invited politicians to visit his shop and speak to customers.

He believes youth vaping requires a much stronger response but argues that enforcement should be at the centre of it.

“If you tax people out of it, the black market's going to thrive,” he said, adding that illegal sellers “don't care” about the age of the person buying from them.