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The HSE National Environmental Health Service has issued a public warning today (Thursday, 30 January) regarding excessive nicotine concentrations found in four e-cigarette products, which have triggered European product safety (RAPEX) alerts.
Affected Products
The following e-cigarette products have been identified as exceeding the legal nicotine concentration of 20mg/ml, with test results ranging between 26.9mg/ml and above 30mg/ml:
- ADADA A8 1200 puff – Vanilla Coke flavour
- The Crystal PRO MAX 4000+ puff – Watermelon Ice flavour (Batch No. MAX20230407)
- Savage Vape – Kiwi Passion Fruit Guava 5% Nicotine
- McKesse MK Bar 7000 12ml – Lime Mojito flavour (Batch No. Exp: 31/12/2023)
Consumer Advice
The HSE is urging consumers to check if they own any of these products and, if so, to stop using them immediately and return them to the retailer where they were purchased. Anyone who has used these products and experienced adverse effects should contact their GP for medical advice and notify the HSE at [email protected].
Retailer Responsibilities
The HSE has also advised retailers to take immediate action:
- Remove the affected products from sale and contact the HSE at [email protected] with full product and traceability details.
- Display a recall notice prominently in-store and online if any of the affected products were sold.
- Retailers with questions should reach out to the HSE for further guidance.
Enforcement Measures
The HSE has contacted known distributors and importers of e-cigarettes and refill containers to inform them of this issue. Further regulatory action will follow where required.
Dr Maurice Mulcahy, Regional Chief Environmental Health Officer, stressed the importance of compliance:
“Retailers need to make themselves fully aware of their legal obligations and put in place robust and effective supplier controls. We recommend retailers satisfy themselves that the products they sell are legally compliant and have been duly notified to the HSE via the European Common Entry Gate system (EU CEG).
Furthermore, if retailers also bring nicotine inhaling products into Ireland from another country outside the European Union, such as the UK, they may be considered importers. Being an importer places additional legal obligations requiring notification of these imported products to the HSE via the EU CEG and making a declaration on the EU CEG that they are responsible for the safety and quality of these products.”
The HSE has noted an increasing number of non-compliant and unsafe products in the Irish market and will continue enforcement actions, which may include product seizures, destruction, and legal prosecutions.
Further Information
More details about the affected products and the RAPEX alerts can be found on the HSE website:
- ADADA A8 Public Alert Notice
- The Crystal PRO MAX 4000+ Public Alert Notice
- Savage Vape Public Alert Notice
- McKesse MK Bar 7000 Public Alert Notice
The HSE is the Market Surveillance Authority for electronic cigarettes and refill containers and is responsible for enforcing the Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU, implemented in Ireland under the EU (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) Regulations 2016.
For more details on the HSE’s enforcement activities, visit:
🔗 HSE Enforcement Information