I am pleased to support the Bill, which will prohibit the sale of nicotine consumption products and the advertisement of nicotine inhaling products, particularly in retail outlets. It will deal with the point-of-sale display in mixed retail outlets. The colour and imagery of nicotine inhaling products will be restricted and the sale of the devices or the functioning of other products, such as toys and games, will be prohibited, as will all flavour descriptors and language other than the basic flavour names. The flavours in nicotine inhaling products will be limited to tobacco, or be unflavoured. I say all of that because, for many years, each different generation has been targeted by the nicotine industry, for want of a better word. Vaping and nicotine pouches are the latest version of that attempt by the nicotine industry to target young people. I am entirely supportive of the measures in the Bill. I commend the Minister of State on her efforts to help curb the continued marketisation of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products, especially towards the younger cohort. This is a clear public health issue. It is one that my colleagues in Fianna Fáil have been consistent in addressing. My colleague mentioned the workplace and indoor smoking ban in 2004. There has been a consistent approach since then to tackle both the tobacco and nicotine industry. I welcome that this Bill will prohibit the sale of nicotine products, such as nicotine pouches. As my colleague said, it is something that I had not aware of until recently. Many parents with teenagers know too well the dangers of these products, particularly regarding their ease of access and how easily they can be consumed. Every generation has gone through some sort of targeting by tobacco and nicotine industry. I recognise that vaping is one element dealt in this Bill and that nicotine pouches and the related products follow very closely behind it. I commend the Minister of State on including them in the Bill. These products are currently advertised through mixed retail outlets. In effect, this has created another draw factor at the till in many local or small specialised shops. Essentially, what is happening is it is attracting people who would not smoke or consider tobacco. That is not an accident; it is by design. It is marketing. They are trying to increase their market share. We are preventing an industry from doing that. It can be uncomfortable using the language of "preventing an industry" because often I would be somebody who would support businesses, job creation and so on but we are dealing here with the sale of an addictive product. We know from studying addiction that addiction changes the reward systems in one's brain. While the first time one consumes an addictive product, it is a free chose. It is something that one considers. After that, each time the addiction and the patterns of addiction limits one's own personal choices. That is something that I am very strongly supportive of in terms of the issue of illegal drugs. It has its application here in the sale of nicotine products. I wish to speak to a number of issues. In a similar way to single use vape products, the colours and imagery as well as their often playful or jovial depictions are another way for the industry to lure and attract people in. I look forward on Committee Stage to further examining the approach the Minister of State has taken which is essentially to limit the descriptor. It would be quite difficult to quantify or describe the products or flavour. I imagine environmental health will have a significant role in terms of monitoring how the legislation is implemented. I note the Minister of State has limited it to two descriptors - those being tobacco flavour or unflavoured. I note the comments from other people regarding the word "menthol". In essence if the vape is not menthol and unflavoured, then it should not have a descriptor that is not correct. There is an argument that it is used to prevent people from smoking tobacco. That is incredibly true and it has a role. In evidence we have seen that while cigarette usage has flatlined, the consumption of vaping products has increased. If these were solely an alternative or diversion from tobacco, we would see tobacco consumption decrease and vaping increase. That is not what we are seeing. We are seeing new people taking up these products. The Minister of State's measures here are a way to prevent young people being targeted by an industry that for decades has sought to sell them a product that is addictive. I commend her on the work that she is doing.

Sentiment score: 0.16