Does the Irish vape tax spell bad news for vaping?
Some drastic new vaping changes are on the cards in the UK and Ireland. The government on the Emerald Isle have proposed a new license that will heavily impact larger vape store chains. While in the UK, the Conservatives are proposing a new vape tax as well as a possible disposable vape ban. Let’s take a look at the Irish Annual licensing fees & UK Vape tax.
Irish annual vape licensing
Vaping retailers in Ireland may face significant annual costs for their sales licenses due to new government regulations under consideration. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly intends to impose an annual fee of €500 for each vaping shop owned. This could place a heavy financial burden on many multi-shop retailers.
Licenses will only be available to owners who have operated their shops for a minimum of 12 months. This will eliminate pop-up stalls at festivals and special events. Vape Business Ireland (VBI) supports the new bill. But, the vaping trade body is concerned about the difficulties retailers may face when trying to obtain a license.
VBI has expressed its concerns, stating that obtaining authorization should be feasible and not overly burdensome for business owners. They also believe that prohibiting retailers from applying for a license at temporary or mobile premises fails to recognize that adult ex-smokers rely on easy access to harm reduction devices.
As it currently stands, vape retailers in Ireland only need to apply for a once-off registration of €50. But this license system does not account for regulatory laws. The cabinet has recently approved a bill banning the sale of vaping products to those under 18 and prohibiting advertising of these products near schools and on public transport. The government is also seeking public input on disposable waste.
Overall, it is clear that the future of vaping in Ireland is changing. Hopefully, these changes will not hinder thousands of smokers on their journey to quit.
The UK vape tax
The UK government is considering implementing a new tax on vaping. This includes banning disposable vapes in an effort to address the affordability of these products. The proposed measures include a duty on sales and prohibiting the sale of disposable vapes to prevent children from taking up the habit.
These actions are part of a larger plan that will ban cigarette sales for those born after January 1, 2009. The government has not specified the level of tax that would be imposed if the bill is passed. They have assured that there will be a significant difference between the duty on vapes and tobacco.
These proposals come after the Prime Minister’s announcement last month that cigarette sales will be banned incrementally. The government will raise the age limit by one year every 12 months, which means that children who are currently 14 years old will never be able to purchase tobacco products legally.
That concludes our look at the proposed Irish Annual Licensing Fees & UK Vape Tax. Hopefully this won’t impact vapers too heavily. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us.
