New restrictions on gambling and e-cigarette adverts announced
New rules for gambling and e-cigarette advertisements are being introduced by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland.
E-cigarette makers will be prevented from making health or medicinal claims about their product, should not associate them with tobacco brands or products, and cannot present them as an alternative to tobacco.
Separately, gambling companies will not be allowed to market their products as solutions to financial problems, or suggest they can provide an escape from problems like loneliness and depression.
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources @AlexWhiteTD, arrives for today's launch of the #ASAICode pic.twitter.com/YavVfY9kBg
— Advertising Standards Authority (@AdStandardsIRE) September 17, 2015
Addiction counsellor and former GAA All-Star Oisín McConville, who came out as a gambling addict himself in 2007, said that he welcomes any move to address issues associated with gambling, but says more needs to be done.
"Any measures to curb that or put some stringent measures on it, I think, would be welcomed by everybody," he said.
"But I just think that gambling is so prevalent now that we probably need to go that step further.
"The one thing that I see is it's prevalence in sport and I think that's something that hopefully will be addressed in the next year or two."
Despite the new restrictions, newly formed business alliance Vape Business Ireland welcomed the news.
"Vape Business Ireland welcomes the release today of the Advertising Standards Authority Ireland (ASAI) Code on e-cigarettes or vaping products," a statement read.
"We find it strikes the right balance between protecting minors while ensuring adults have access to information about vaping products.
"We note the recent evidence from Public Health England, which states that vaping products are 95% less harmful to health than normal cigarettes.
"It is our hope that our Department of Health will take a similar balanced approach when legislating for vaping products later this year."
