Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)

I am extremely frustrated that we are here on the cusp of October making statements in the Dáil when the election was last November. It is outrageous that the Government has not got its act together to produce a number of Bills over the summer. Even the Minister of State’s party colleague is taking her to task on this issue. We are talking about this important health issue for young people but no legislation is forthcoming; we are just making statements. We need to hear what the proposal for action is. Major companies are now targeting young people with these so-called vapes. They are also posing for older people as a gateway to give up smoking.

It is ludicrous we are only having a little chat about it, with nothing actually worked out.

I want to mention the health issues for young people. Research was done by the RCSI in Dublin recently and a few of the comments made were very important. For example, it was suggested that it "is plausible that we are on the cusp of a new wave of chronic diseases that will emerge 15 to 20 years from now due to these exposures." It was also suggested that "without comprehensive regulation [and laws], as we try to treat the nicotine addictions of older tobacco smokers, there is a substantial risk of transferring new health issues to younger generations." This is very serious. It is not a bit surprising that the companies behind the tobacco industry are moving into this to make profits. Flavour like cotton candy and cherry cola are deliberately targeted at children, not at adults trying to quit smoking which is the so-called justification for allowing the vaping industry to operate. In the study, 180 vape flavours were tested from a huge range of products. It would take decades to test every product, as there are so many chemicals within them. They were found to contain 127 acutely toxic chemicals with 153 health hazards and 225 irritants. Loads of evidence is emerging about the dangers of these and the fact that young people whose lungs are still developing are using these nicotine products and will damage their health in the long term. We really need action from the Government.

Another study on vaping and young people's lungs did fitness tests on young people who smoked, vaped and did neither. Vapers and smokers were less able to take in oxygen. Vapers had an average peak exercise capacity of 186 watts, similar to smokers. That is extremely worrying. The evidence is right in front of us. It adds to growing evidence that long-term vaping is harmful and challenges the idea it could be a healthier alternative to smoking.

The statistics on young people using e-cigarettes, tobacco products and vapes show the figure has increased from 20% in 2015 to 30% now, with 17% of 15- to 24-year-olds using e-cigarettes. Meanwhile, 13% of under-18s had used vapes in the previous 30 days. Three quarters of the children in the studies had never smoked. A new market and a new cohort of young people who had not smoked were vaping, much as happened in the 1970s and previous decades. We know the colourful packaging is designed to go with outfits, handbags or whatever. It is happening.

It should be noted the vaping industry makes really spurious claims. One claim is this is the biggest way people get off cigarettes. To be clear, the biggest way people quit smoking is by quitting smoking. There is no scientific evidence that more people quit smoking by using vapes than just quit smoking. These things have to be tested out. The literature shows young people who use vapes are at increased risk of anxiety, mood disorders and sleep disturbance.

I want to mention the companies that are marketing the vaping industry. Big tobacco has shifted to this industry. Philip Morris is the world's biggest tobacco company and it is looking to make two thirds of its profits from non-smoke products by 2030. BAT, another big tobacco company, wants to be 50% reliant on vapes by 2035. PJ Carroll doubled its profits in 2023 from vaping. The other two major players, JTI Ireland and John Player and Sons, have also moved to vaping products to increase profits. Lobbying records show all those companies have lobbied governments around legislation and around not making this restrictive. It is extremely worrying that tobacco companies who lied through their teeth for decades about the effects of smoking on people's health are now involved in this. That should be a major red flag.

I will finish up on solutions. Thus far the Government has banned vaping products being sold to under-18s. Unfortunately, 66% of children and young people said they would find it easy to access vaping products so that ban will not be enough. We need to do other things straight away: a ban on disposable vapes, because they are too cheap; the introduction of plain packaging; and a ban on all flavours apart from tobacco, in order to stop this targeting of children and young people. We also need to look at the creation of addiction services because people are addicted to these products and this habit and have no way of getting off them. At least the HSE provides quit-smoking healthcare, etc. We need services for people to quit vaping. There needs to be action now and an end to just talk.

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