Shane Cassells (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Earlier this week we all received a briefing note from Ms Anne Timoney of the Oireachtas Library and Research Service on vaping and e-cigarettes and the negative health impacts thereof.Although smoking is banned in pubs and public spaces, the obnoxious flavoured fumes emitted by these devices waft freely through the air.

Of more concern is the fact that there has been no real debate in the Oireachtas on the health issue relating to vaping. The question posed in the position paper to which I refer was clear: should legislators intervene to protect citizens or are e-cigarettes a tool in the fight against smoking? The statistics are concerning and show that 22% of 12 to 17-year-olds have tried vaping. Other jurisdictions have taken various approaches. In some areas of the US, authorities have intervened and implemented an outright ban on the sale of certain flavours, such as fruit and candy floss, that are believed to attract young people to vaping. These companies will probably try to sell candy floss cigarettes to children at the circus next.

This is a multimillion euro industry. Vaping shops have sprung up in towns across the country. The programme for Government commits to examining these issues, but they need to be taken more seriously. I have written to the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, to set out my concerns in this sphere and the fact that there are no strong regulations governing this area. If Covid-19 is spread through droplets, then the use of these devices in public areas could be a conduit for its transmission. Action is needed. This issue needs to be looked at, including consideration of banning vaping in indoor spaces.