Mixed views on proposed Mayo vape shop restrictions

A MOTION seeking restrictions on vape shopfronts to make them less appealing to children has come before a meeting of Mayo County Council.

It stemmed from the county's youth council, Comhairle na nÓg, who are also hoping to launch a community awareness campaign.

Fine Gael Councillor Marie Therese Duffy tabled the motion calling on the local authority to introduce a range of actions, including restricting the use of bright neon signs, cartoon graphics and products aimed at children or other product imagery on the exterior of vaping retail shops.

Vape shop windows should be covered or display only neutral signage in line with tobacco product restrictions, with plain storefront designs (e.g. black and white lettering, no product advertising), she said. And vaping products should be kept out of view in retail outlets.

Councillor Duffy complimented the work of the Comhairle na nÓg in researching the issue and she called for regulations to protect children and teenagers.

The Public Health Bill is going through the Oireachtas and she asked the council to write to the Minister for Health to fast-track the regulations and advance to the next stage.

The motion was seconded, but Councillor Richard Finn, a vaping person himself, opposed the motion and had some views to share.

We have rate payers in the county, people trying to do business. We have people who like a smoke and people who like a vape, he commented. We have shops with different imagery on their windows. We have all types of shops and thank God we have the freedom for businesses to decide how they advertise their products.

“I am not in favour of restricting business people in the operation of their businesses,” he said, and even more so the promotion of their businesses.

There had been a big hullabaloo before the last budget about vaping by young people - 'the colour, the type, everything about vapes'. It was only an excuse, he commented, to put excise duty on vapes.

He explained how he would buy two vapes every week for €3 each before the last budget. That had then risen to €20. “The government saw fit to take €14 a week off me in taxation.”

Twenty years ago Micheál Martin brought in the smoking ban, and he agreed with it. It was done in the interests of health and the numbers of people getting cancer.

But 20 years plus later and there are more people suffering from cancer than ever before.

Councillor Finn said he felt sorry for young people and the restrictions they face today, are reduced to going down alleyways, public parks, binge dens, and they can get any drug you can name in any town in the country.

You can imagine the impact on the young person and their family, he said. They become addicts and there's no after support.

We either look at life in reality or from a different aspect, but we have to be human about it, continued Councillor Finn. Everything we have done has not worked in the past and it won't in the future either.

Councillor Duffy said the motion originated from the young people and the details were in relation to children and teenagers. It isn't anything to do with adult vaping.

Councillor Finn accepted that but said he wanted to give the other side of the story.

Other councillors spoke in favour of the motion, with Councillor Annie May Reape highlighting an outlet that stands out, attracting all the youngsters.

Councillor Donna Sheridan said young children from nine up are presenting with serious lung conditions. This motion came from young people trying to create positive change.

* Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme