Councillor’s bid to establish first tobacco-free generation by 2030

A MEATH county councillor has described as “a no brainer” the need to cut back on the amount of money spent in the health service as a result of harm done by smoking tobacco. Independent Cllr Noel French asked Meath county councillors to back a call to the Government and the European Commission to establish the first tobacco-free generation by 2030 by commencing the process to end the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to people born on or after 1st January 2010.

Fine Gael Cllr Paddy Meade agreed that the suggestion was “a no brainer”. Social Democrat Cllr Ronan Moore said he would support the idea. He knew of other countries, such as New Zealand, trying to go down this route. He said there might be one challenge in bringing in such legislation – there was nothing to stop a young person from going into a shop and buying vaping products. While some shops had signed up to a code of conduct on vaping, it was not illegal to sell the products to young people. It was expected that legislation in relation to this would come before the Dail in September (Public Health Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2023).

Legislation had been passed to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic but no legislation had come forward on vaping. “What has happened now is that we have a generation of young people who are now vaping and who are addicted to nicotine”. The Government had failed in its duty on this.

Independent Cllr Alan Lawes said he could not agree with the motion. Criminalising something would not help the problem. All that would result would be that drug dealers would move into the tobacco business. “You’d only be adding zeroes to the bank accounts of drug dealers”.

Independent Cllr Gillian Toole said she would be supporting the motion. Wearing her other hat [as a pharmacist] she knew that it was an objective of the Irish Heart Foundation to support legislation on vaping. There was an increase across the board in respiratory and throat conditions by the use of different ingredients used in vaping products to enhance the flavour and odour of them.

Independent Cllr Trevor Golden said he also supported Cllr French’s motion while Fine Gael Cllr Maria Murphy said she too would support it.

“Let’s start the conversation about this. If New Zealand, one of the most progressive countries in the world can do it, we can do it as well. People might think it’s the cool thing to do but it is an addiction”.

Support also came from Fine Gael Cllr Gerry O’Connor.

Independent Cllr Brian Fitzgerald, who described himself as “a reformed smoker”, did not think the motion was practical.

On a show of hands 15 councillors supported the motion with nine against.