Vape Business Ireland (VBI) welcomes finding of CDC that recent lung disease outbreak in vapers is linked to illegal liquids bought on the black market.

Vape Business Ireland (VBI) has welcomed the findings of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who have identified Vitamin E acetate as the ‘very strong culprit’ for a lung-disease outbreak in the US.

VBI as Ireland’s largest vaping trade association is reassured by the official confirmation from the US CDC that suggest that the lung-disease outbreak is linked to people using illegal liquids, predominantly THC oils. These THC oils are illegal black-market marijuana products and they have been ‘cut’ or expanded by the Vitamin E acetate additive. VBI is keen to reaffirm once again to vapers in Ireland that such products are illegal in Ireland.

“Those who have refused to acknowledge that the Irish vaping market is far more highly regulated than the US one, must now explain themselves to adult smokers who have been scared away from trying vaping as an alternative to smoking by this irresponsible scaremongering. It would be ill advised of policy makers to lose sight of the fact that vaping products have helped over 150,000 smokers quit in Ireland.”

“In Ireland, vaping products and e-liquids are highly regulated. All products for sale in Ireland are first notified to the HSE where detailed submissions have to be made in relation to ingredients. There are strict rules on what ingredients can be used, including the maximum nicotine strength of e-liquids and the maximum amount of liquid per bottle, as well as how products are labelled.”

“VBI hope that the upcoming pre-legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas Health Committee of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019 will take note of the US CDC’s findings, recognise how highly regulated vaping products are here in Ireland, and provide adult smokers with the choice they deserve when endeavouring to find an alternative to smoking.”

“It is worth noting that the Minister for Health and his officials will be all too aware of the stringent rules and regulations that vaping products in Ireland adhere to, as set out by the HSE, under the umbrella of his own department.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statement can be found here https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6845e2.htm?s_cid=mm6845e2_w

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Contact Details

Vape Business Ireland spokesperson Joe Dunne: 086 6004689

All emails can be sent to Info@vapebusinessireland.ie