Children can bring disposable vapes that look like highlighters to school in their pencil cases, Green Party Minister Ossian Smyth has warned.
He made the comment as he launched a public consultation on disposable vapes. Speaking on RTE’s Today with Claire Byrne, Minister Smyth expressed his belief that vapes are targeted at children and are easy to hide from parents.
He said: “If you go to a music festival, you see these coloured things in the ground and they look like they're like glow sticks. They look like highlighter pens.
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“I don't think it's a coincidence, they look like a highlighter pen. A lot of children in school would have them in their pencil case. If you're a parent, you would notice if your child is recharging their vape at night. But you're not going to notice this thing that really looks like a highlighter pen.
“I had a mother of a 13-year-old girl contact me and say. ‘I could smell watermelon and cola bottle in her room. I found this thing I couldn't believe you could actually just smoke it’.”
Following the public consultation, potential policy options include a ban on the manufacture, sale, distribution, or free offer of disposable vaping devices or the establishment of a deposit and return system for them. Another alternative would be no legislative change but simply improved producer responsibility and improved education and awareness around responsible recycling.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly announced plans earlier his week to ban the sale of vapes to under 18s. During a press conference, he confirmed that he wants Ireland to tackle the labelling and design of vapes, which he described as “child-friendly”.
He also said that he wants to tackle flavoured vapes. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 16,000 different vape flavours.
Minster Smyth said that he would be in favour of cracking down on flavours. He said that the EU is currently examining the issue. He continued: “There’s cola bottle flavour. Who is that supposed to appeal to? That is obviously supposed to appeal to children.
“We still have the opportunity [to ban them]. Minister Donnelly has introduced this bill, it can be amended. I know that flavoured vapes have been banned in China, but not for export. I know that in America flavoured vapes have been mostly banned.
“The EU is looking at doing it. As I understand Ireland is looking at the European Union introducing this ban across the EU at the same time. If it’s possible to do it sooner here, I would advocate for that.”
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