Renewed Mayo concern over sale of candy in vaping shops

A Mayo Oireachtas member has appealed for an amendment to existing legislation - the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 - to have more stringent barriers on what he described as 'the targeting of young people'.

Senator Mark Duffy elaborated: "There's a shop that sells vapes and candy together, enticing young people and encouraging them to use vaping as a stepping stone.

"It is abhorrent to see that level of cynicism from businesses that are trying to encourage young people to vape.

"I intend to work on tightening the legislation to stop the proliferation of these shops across towns and villages.

"We have made good strides on the sale of cigarettes in terms of their branding, their packaging, and how they have to be kept behind the counter and not advertised, whereas vapes, vaping products and the accessories that go with smoking and vaping seem to have proliferated across all towns and villages.

"There are quick fixes we can make to amend the existing legislation to stop the product placement and the association with candy or sweets and other things young people would be attracted to in vaping.

"It is shocking to see it like that. We should also put stringent fines in place for shop owners who flout these rules, if we can get this addressed."