Safety alert notices relating to electronic cigarettes

The HSE National Environmental Health Service is today (Thursday, 30 January) alerting the public to excessive nicotine concentrations found in 4 products for which European product safety (RAPEX) alerts have been issued.

The products involved are:

• ADADA A8 1200 puff. Sub-brands (flavours): Vanilla Coke
• The Crystal PRO MAX 4000+ puff. Sub-brands (flavours): Watermelon Ice BatchNo. MAX20230407
• Savage Vape. Sub-brands (flavours): Kiwi Passion Fruit Guava 5% Nicotine
• McKesse MK Bar 7000 12ml. Sub-brand (flavour): Lime Mojito 12ml. Batch Number: Exp: 31/12/2023

Test results for the four products showed the legal nicotine concentration was exceeded, with sample results ranging between 26.9mg/ml and >30 mg/ml. The legal nicotine concentration for electronic cigarettes is 20mg/ml.

As a precautionary measure, the HSE are advising consumers to check the electronic cigarettes they may have against the products involved in these alerts. If they have any of these products, they should stop using them and return them to the shop where they were purchased. If they have used these products and experienced any ill effects, they should contact their General Practitioner for advice and notify the HSE at info.tpd@hse.ie.

In response, the HSE has contacted distributors and importers of e-cigarettes and refill containers known to them and to make them aware of this issue and will be following up as required.

The message to retailers is:

• If you have any of the products as set out above, you must remove them from sale and contact the HSE at info.tpd@hse.ie providing product and full traceability details.
• If you have sold or distributed any of the products above, a recall notice must be displayed in a prominent position in your retail premises and on your website and social media.
• Retailers with any queries in relation to this matter can contact the HSE at  info.tpd@hse.ie.

More information on the products can be found at https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate-alerts/ using the words ‘electronic cigarette’.

Dr Maurice Mulcahy Regional Chief Environmental Health Officer said: “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 that is outside the European Union, such as the UK, they may by virtue of this fact also be considered an importer. 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 National Environmental Health Service is increasingly finding non complaint and unsafe products on the Irish market and will continue to use its extensive legal powers to protect the public up to and including product seizure, product destruction and prosecutions.”

The HSE National Environmental Health Service has published advice leaflets for retailers and importers /manufacturers to advise them of their legal obligations. These leaflets are available on the HSE website at https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/1/environ/tobacco-and-related-products/

ENDS