Ireland is banning vape flavors. A shop owner warns it could cost lives.
Ireland's new vape flavor ban threatens businesses and public health, warns a shop owner who says flavors help smokers quit.Summary
Ireland's Seanad has passed a public health bill banning nontobacco vape flavors, restricting packaging and advertising, and requiring products to be kept out of public view. The government argues the measures protect children from aggressive marketing, but critics say vaping is far safer than smoking and an effective cessation tool. Eoin O'Boyle, owner of OB Vape in Drogheda, warns the ban could destroy his business and lead to excess deaths, as most of his customers use nontobacco flavors to quit cigarettes. Research supports that nontobacco flavors help smokers quit more effectively than tobacco flavors. With smoking still widespread in Ireland, the ban may push users toward an illicit black market, as seen in the Netherlands and Australia. O'Boyle fears the restrictions will jeopardize both his business and the lives of Irish people.
(Source：Reason Magazine)
