Martin Daly: Calls to Ban Flavoured Vapes to Protect Children
Martin Daly warns that flavoured vapes attract young people to vaping and can act as a gateway to smoking. He raises chemical and toxin concerns in vape colourants and points to nicotine replacement therapies available through GPs and the community drug scheme.
What Martin Daly said
Martin Daly told the chamber that removing flavours from vapes is important because flavours make vaping attractive to younger people and can lead to smoking among those who otherwise would not have started. He also highlighted concerns about chemicals and toxins present in colourants used in some products.
Health and safety concerns
Daly stressed that the health and wellbeing of children is the central aim behind this intervention. He noted that, beyond addiction risks, there are specific chemical risks tied to colourants and additives used in some vapes, which deserve regulatory attention.
Policy alternatives and access to support
Daly pointed out that nicotine replacement products can be prescribed by a GP, are free to medical card holders, and are available on the community drug scheme. He framed these options as practical alternatives while supporting measures to reduce youth uptake.
Parliamentary context and support
Daly closed by thanking colleagues and reiterating his support for the Deputy Clerk's position and the ongoing effort to raise public awareness. He positioned the debate as one focused on protecting children and preventing future smoking uptake.
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And again, it's only, thanks Cathaoirleach, and thanks Minister, and thanks Deputy Clerk, and again this is, it's just my own view, is that the removal of flavours is important, it makes it attractive to younger people to get into vaping, and one of the biggest concerns I have around the whole vaping situation is that we have a lot of young people who are vaping and then going on to smoke, who would never have smoked, and it makes it more attractive to them. There are also issues around chemicals and toxins that are in the colourants, and that's another issue, but I mean, if we're talking about trying to reduce the number of people taking up smoking, it is a gateway to smoking, and flavoured vapes, in my view, is one way that that's facilitated, and there are nicotine replacement products that are, can be prescribed by your GP, they're free to the medical card holder, they're on the community drug scheme, so there isn't, the cost is obviated, so I do think that I support your position on this, and respecting Deputy Clerk's position. Thank you very much, Deputy. I'd just like to thank everyone today for, you know, I suppose, it is important, this is an awareness, and the reason we're doing this, this is, as I said, and I can only highlight this enough from speaking to so many people, and as our Deputy has said, Deputy Daly, like, it's in, what's in the vapes, it's the different flavours, and it's just about our children's health and wellbeing, this is why we're doing this, this is to protect our children.
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