'They’re not good for young people': Councillor welcomes move to restrict sale of vaping products

A Cork city councillor has raised concerns about the harmful effects of vaping and has welcomed that legislation is being drafted to restrict the use of nicotine-inhaling products.

Fianna Fáil councillor for Cork City North West John Sheehan brought forward a motion at a recent meeting of the Regional Health Forum South at Cork County Hall that the forum would call on the Minister for Health to bring in further measures to restrict the widespread use of vaping products among non-smokers, especially in terms of marketing and availability.

“The reason for this motion is that we have seen significant evidence emerging about the harmful effects of vapes, particularly on young people, and the use of vapes which primarily started out as a nicotine replacement to get people off smoking cigarettes and then transcended essentially into a consumer product,” Mr Sheehan said.

Responding, area director of public health at the Department of Public Health at HSE South West Anne Sheahan referred to legislation being drafted to restrict use of nicotine inhaling products.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly recently received approval from the Cabinet to draft legislation introducing further restrictions on nicotine inhaling products.

The Nicotine Inhaling Products Bill proposes to ban the sale, manufacture, or import of single-use or disposable vapes in Ireland.

The new legislation also limits vape flavours to tobacco, with provisions for the list of allowed flavours to be amended pending new evidence.

Point-of-sale display and advertising of vape products will also be banned in shops other than those that only or primarily sell the products.

Mr Sheehan welcomed the legislation, saying: “There is evidence showing that they do cause lung damage. We’re not fully sure of the long-term effects, but certainly they’re not good for young people to be using and they have been marketed heavily in terms of their design, their products, their names, their flavours, at young people.

“I welcome that this is going to be restricted because otherwise we’re just storing up problems down the line so it’s good progress.”

During the meeting, Mr Sheahan also acknowledged the move by Minister Donnelly and described it as “hugely important”.

“It probably should have happened before this, but I think it’s good that it’s actually happening now so it’s great.”