Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin has signalled his personal support for an outright ban on vapes while outlining proposals to limit the number of vape shops.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin described vapes as the “revenge of Big Tobacco” and said the Government should deal with the products in a “stronger way”.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the end of the Fianna F\u00e1il think-in in Tullamore, Co Offaly, he said “vapes are nearly worse than cigarettes”.<\/p>\n
Asked if he supported a ban on vapes, he said: “Well, I mean, I’m not the minister (for health).”<\/p>\n
Pressed on his opinion as Taoiseach, he said: “In my view, products like that that are damaging to health, we should deal with [them] in as strong a manner as possible.”<\/p>\n
Mr Martin cited the moment Ireland became the first country to implement a workplace smoking ban in 2004 during his time as minister for health as among his proudest political achievements.<\/p>\n
He said the national strategies on smoking, cancer, strokes and cardiovascular health have led to people living much longer.<\/p>\n
Watch: Taoiseach describes vapes as ‘revenge of Big Tobacco’<\/p>\n
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He said it is “depressing” to see heart and lung diseases “coming around the back door”, and that “the peer evidence out there is these are very damaging”.<\/p>\n
The Fianna F\u00e1il leader said there was a view within the parliamentary party that there should be a limit on the number of vape shops.<\/p>\n
“A number of deputies said in some streets and towns around Ireland you have a proliferation of them, and from an architectural, presentational, aesthetic point of view, even alone, that\u2019s not very good.<\/p>\n
“So, there needs to be some control of that – and then there\u2019s the issue of vapes themselves and what they contain, and the substances and so on that are harmful to human health,” he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin said that bans on disposable vapes and restrictions on their sale to under-18s are already in place but added: “I personally would like to go further, and there will be further discussions in Government.<\/p>\n
“To me, it\u2019s always been the revenge of Big Tobacco.<\/p>\n
“It has all the same hallmarks of tobacco: go after the young, get the young addicted.”<\/p>\n
He told reporters: “Vapes are nearly worse than cigarettes. In many instances, we don\u2019t know what\u2019s in them.<\/p>\n
“They\u2019re damaging to lungs and these are serious issues for society.”<\/p>\n
Mr Martin said the Government was also looking at measures related to nicotine pouches.<\/p>\n