Disposable vapes ban ‘cannot come soon enough’, says Cork TD

The Government decision to ban disposable and restrict flavoured vapes, which will take several months to implement after the Cabinet agreed a proposal by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly this week, can’t come soon enough, a Cork TD has said.

As part of the Nicotine Inhaling Products Bill, there will be a restriction on the sale of flavours which appeal to children, as well as a ban on point of sale advertising displays in shops.

According to Christopher O’Sullivan, who represents Fianna Fáil in Cork South West, the proposal was “an important step for both public health and the environment”.

Scourge

“These vapes are a scourge on the environment, nicotine is a highly addictive drug and we’re acting to make vapes less accessible to young people,” he said.

“Disposable vapes are littering our streets our countryside, so the sooner they’re banned the better. It can’t happen soon enough.”

The Health Minister’s proposed legislation, the General Scheme for a Nicotine Inhaling Products Bill, includes a restriction on colours and imagery on packaging and devices as well as a ban on devices resembling or functioning as other products such as toys or games.

It would also prohibit on all flavour descripting words and language other than basic flavour names and a prohibition on the import, manufacture and sale of single use or disposable vapes.

Need to go further

Minister Donnelly said that while a ban on the sale of nicotine inhaling products to people under 18 had been introduced, there was a need to go further.

“This legislation will tackle the rise in the use of vapes among children and young people by reducing their attractiveness and availability,” he said.

“Nicotine is addictive and the long-term effects of these products are not yet known so it is important to act.”

He said that while he understood that some adult smokers used vapes to quit smoking so those products, apart from the disposable variety, would remain available.

“The measures I am taking are to reduce use among youth, so that our children can grow up without the risks associated with these products.”

However, he admitted that disposable vapes can still be purchased online and brought into the state.

He said that the State is banning around 16,000 flavours of disposable vapes.

Cork North Central Fine Gael TD and Minister of State with Responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Colm Burke, welcomed the introduction of the proposed legislation and said the measures it contained would contribute to the better health and well being of young people.