We welcome the Bill. I am speaking as someone who has children, although they are not all children any more, and has worked with young people over the past 20 or 30 years. Anything we can do to ensure we continue to address addiction to nicotine is most welcome. First there were cigarettes and there was a big debate about how we could reduce their use. Harm reduction came along and we had vapes. We now have nicotine pouches. The big business that is the nicotine industry is delighted with itself in marketing these products to keep people addicted to them for as long as it can. An untold amount of people's health is affected by nicotine in this country and around the world. We can see the effects of that every day. I have spoken about this issue a couple of times in the Chamber. I have spoken about teenagers, who will always go against the tide and have the ability to rebel. I was definitely one such teenager and I have known quite a few in my time as a youth worker and through my involvement as a school completion programme, and as a parent. The way vapes are advertised and marketed to young people is genius. The companies make them appealing. If I were that age, I would definitely have been vaping and would have thought it looked great. That is what makes vaping even more evil. Companies are targeting young people. They know exactly what they are doing. Vapes can be matched to what people are wearing. Given the taste of vapes, it is no wonder that people are addicted to them. When I listened to the debate in my office, I was a little concerned that people would push back against the ban on flavours. When I speak to young people, they tell me vapes are only watermelon, lime or whatever - I am sure they do not think lime is great. They are flavours that are nice and therefore they do not see the harm in them. There are harms. Nicotine is an addictive substance. My parliamentary assistant came to work and walked along Grafton Street. She was offered a free packet of nicotine pouches - I will not name the company. It made me wonder why they are being handed out. As previous Deputies have said, they are being handed out everywhere, including at concerts. This is how companies are promoting the next product they can get people addicted to. First it was cigarettes, then vapes and now it is the pouches. I am sure companies are thinking of the next product after this. It is not good enough. While we cannot pre-empt what that next product will be with this legislation, we need to pre-empt being lobbied by these companies, which do nothing except create detrimental health outcomes for young people and adults. I will be glad when disposable vapes are banned. They are a detriment to the person using them. With regard to the rechargeable vapes, there is a little black wire in each one. How many of those wires are hanging around the place? In 2019, this Chamber said we were in a climate emergency. We were the second country in the world to do that. Having disposable vapes with tiny wires in them for recharging does not help in any way towards mitigating against the global climate disaster that is upon us. I will give a warning to those who are going to email after this: please do not lobby me because the answer is “No”. I am not interested. I am speaking on behalf of mothers around the country who contacted me asking for something to be done so their children are not targeted in this way. Some Deputies will talk about adults but, having worked with children and young people, I will always put them first. This legislation must be about protecting them now and into the future. I ask lobbyists not to contact me. I am not interested in their products that will harm young people and adults. Please do not send me emails. I received emails the last few times I have spoken in this Chamber about vapes and I am not interested. The last time I spoke on this issue, parents contacted me who were very thankful I used my voice to speak about what they too are saying. Young people are using the little money they have to go into shops to be sold those vapes. Although these products are not supposed to be sold to people under 18, they are being sold. They should not be sold but they are. I recall talking to a beautician who said that she can see young people coming in and their skin is in bits. She said she knows who is and is not vaping because of their skin. I could go on with the examples forever. I am speaking quite emotively because I feel so passionately about this. We would not allow this to happen in any other way to our children and young people. We have banned alcohol, rightly, for those under 18 and whatever way nicotine was allowed is also banned now. We need to clamp down hard. On the last occasion I spoke on this issue, I was delighted to read in the newspaper just before I entered the Chamber that people were prosecuted for it. Long may that last because it is not supposed to be done and it should not happen. I thank the Minister of State for bringing this Bill forward.

Sentiment score: 0.02