Dundalk councillor welcomes plan to ban sale of e-cigarettes for under-18s

Dundalk South's Cllr Tomás Sharkey has welcomed news that the government will move to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to under-18s this summer. 

Cllr Sharkey said that, "this ban cannot come soon enough. Every day young people are being sold these dangerous products and are damaging their health. Dundalk has many shops engaged in the selling of these products. Young people can get their hands on the dangerous products and too easily.

"E-cigarettes and vapes are gateways to smoking tobacco cigarettes. They are designed in their colours, shapes, flavours and packaging to be attractive to young people."

The Sinn Féin councillor continued, "I salute the government's plan to ban the sale of these products to children. Enforcement will take a huge effort from all of us in society.

"Firstly, business owners must make a firm commitment to follow the legislation. Secondly, parents and the community must be consistent in the message that e-cigarettes and vapes are not an acceptable product for children to use."

Cllr Sharkey added, "It will be interesting to see the penalties for businesses that break this new law and the rigorous implementation of it."