Ireland Finds "Nicotine-Free" E-Cigarettes Contain Nicotine; Involves McKesse, JNR, and Crystal Brands

Key points:

·Consumer Misleading: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in Ireland found that some e-cigarettes marketed as "nicotine-free" in the Irish market actually contain nicotine, misleading consumers. 

·Health Risks: Experts warn that the addictive nature of nicotine is underestimated, and the chemicals in e-cigarettes may have long-term health effects. 

·Regulatory Action: The HSE has seized the relevant products and issued alerts through the RAPEX system, urging retailers to stop selling them. 

·Product Examples: The products involved include McKesse MK Bar, JNR Crystal Pro Max, and Crystal Bling 6000. 

·Expert Calls: A professor from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is calling for more aggressive measures to address the issue of e-cigarettes.

【2Firsts News Flash】According to a report by The Journal on July 31st, some e-cigarettes marketed as "nicotine-free" in stores across Ireland were found to actually contain nicotine after being inspected and tested by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

This not only misleads people buying these e-cigarettes, but health experts also point out the risk of becoming addicted to e-cigarettes without realizing it.

These e-cigarettes were seized by the National Tobacco Control Office of the HSE and tested at the national laboratory.

Since 2024, HSE has discovered three types of e-cigarettes claiming to be "nicotine-free" during visits to three stores - McKesse MK Bar, JNR Crystal Pro Max, and Crystal Bling 6000.

These e-cigarettes were seized during an inspection, in June 2025, a RAPEX alert was issued regarding the McKesse MK Bar.

RAPEX is the rapid alert system of the European Union for dangerous non-food products, which requires all retailers to stop selling the product.

The JNR Crystal Pro Max was labeled as "0% nicotine," but when the label was removed, it was discovered that the original packaging label stated "2% nicotine," according to the HSE injunction.

It is not yet clear who has labeled e-cigarettes with this tag, but according to HSE's letter, consumers being misled is "very concerning.

Some versions of Crystal Bling 6000 have "No Nicotine" printed on the outer packaging, but the inner packaging states that it contains nicotine. Laboratory testing has confirmed that the e-cigarette does indeed contain nicotine.

Do e-cigarettes truly pose a health risk?

Professor Donal O'Shea, head of the Department of Chemistry at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), states that the public's understanding of the addictive nature of nicotine is still significantly underestimated.

“It only becomes a problem when you try to quit.”

He said.

Nicotine is highly addictive, like any drug, over time you will develop a tolerance to it and need increasing amounts to satisfy its cravings.

Additionally, O'Shea stated that nicotine has been proven to cause memory and attention issues, as well as impact brain development, which is also a concerning factor in the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among young people.

But this is not the only health issue.

In the past 18 months, Irish health authorities have seized thousands of e-cigarettes that violate regulations.

The most common issue with these e-cigarettes is that they contain e-liquid with nicotine concentrations exceeding legal limits, despite some e-cigarettes also having significantly higher levels of nicotine than allowed.

The use of e-cigarettes with excessive e-liquid quantity or higher nicotine concentration can also accelerate nicotine addiction.

O'Shea stated that e-cigarettes contain various types, quantities, and concentrations of chemicals, with many of their effects still unknown.

“When you are 20 years old, you naturally feel invincible. But unfortunately, when you reach around 40 years old, the effects start to show. We already know this from smoking and pollution.”

Axel said.

He continued to say that the e-cigarette is "a device that concentrates pollution in a small device and directly inhales it into the lungs.