23-05-2025
Louth vape shop owner wants strict licensing laws and heavy penalties for selling to under-18s
Eoin O'Boyle, who owns OB Vape in Drogheda, says Ireland has the chance to lead the world in progressive harm reduction policies, but only if regulations are shaped by science, not sensationalism. He emphasises the need to protect young people while also supporting adult smokers in their efforts to quit cigarettes.
O'Boyle expressed concern over recent media coverage that he believes focuses predominantly on youth vaping, potentially overshadowing the benefits of vaping to adult smokers looking to quit the habit. While he agrees that youth access is a serious concern, he warns that reactionary policies such as flavour bans or blanket restrictions will do more harm than good by pushing adult vapers back towards smoking cigarettes.
In response, he has outlined a five-step framework he believes would safeguard public health and protect young people. His proposal includes a formal licensing system for all vape retailers, both in-store and online, with strict penalties for selling to under-18s. He also calls for better enforcement of age restrictions through targeted checks and sting operations.
Importantly, O'Boyle says that vape flavours – often blamed for attracting younger users – should not be banned outright. Instead, he proposes that flavoured products be sold through regulated, licensed shops where staff are trained to enforce age laws. He is also calling for robust age verification systems and specific licensing. Finally, he would like to see a national public education campaign to inform people about the difference between adult-focused harm reduction products and those that may appeal to teenagers.
O'Boyle cites Public Health England (PHE) research claiming that vaping is 95pc less harmful than smoking, however in more recent 2022 research, the Office for Improvement and Disparities (OHID) which succeeded the PHE, published an update which changed the statement to 'vaping poses only a small fraction of the risks of smoking and is not risk free, particularly for people who have never smoked,' given the evolving evidence base.
Many of his Drogheda customers, he says, have successfully quit thanks to access to flavoured vape products and responsible advice. 'Flavours are a crucial part of the smoking cessation journey and Irish adults who successfully quit smoking often cite flavours as a key reason that they stayed off cigarettes. Removing flavours will simply force many back to smoking,' he said.
'Ireland can set the standard for progressive, effective vaping regulation globally. With the right framework we can reduce out national smoking rate and prevent young people from taking up vaping, while empowering adult smokers to quit smoking permanently, but this does requite balance and not panic,' O'Boyle stated.
