John Crown (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do not believe I made my earlier point strongly enough. If our enemies insist on conducting a business which poisons and kills our citizens and addicts our children, we must send the unambiguous message that we want their businesses to fail and we want them out of business and bankrupt. There is zero ambiguity on that issue. It would be preferable if those who are involved in these industries made alternative investments and plans and tobacco farmers grew alternative crops. Unfortunately, I am precluded from providing financial incentives in legislation to encourage ethical shops, retailers and hoteliers to cease selling tobacco products on their premises in return for being offered a preferential VAT rate on all other products they sell on their premises. This would incentivise people to leave the tobacco business because everyone who turns a profit from tobacco, profits from death.

I understand the Minister may find himself defending the position I have advocated in other forums and he will have widespread support when he does so. We should be unambiguous about our ambitions in respect of companies that sell death to citizens. This is a great opportunity, educationally and in every other way, to strike a blow against electronic cigarettes. These products will become a much more compelling gateway drug to one of the major drugs in use in this country, the inhalation of tobacco, than other alleged gateway drugs are to other substances of abuse.