Marketing exposure to vaping products has seen an alarming increase among young people. According to a recent Canadian study, the percentage of youth who reported frequent exposure to e-cigarette promotions nearly doubled from 13.6% in 2017 to 26.0% in 2019. This troubling trend highlights an urgent need for action to prevent the promotion of vaping products to impressionable youth.

Local vaping retailers often use colourful signage, bright lighting and youth-orientated branding that may unintentionally (or deliberately) appeal to young people. This contributes to the normalisation of youth vaping, damages communities through littering, and negatively impacts the health of the young people who use them.

Mayo Comhairle na Óg believes more can be done at a local level to reduce the visual appeal of these establishments to underage individuals.  We are calling upon Mayo County Council to take decisive steps to curb this trend.

Our proposals aim to restrict the use of bright neon signs, cartoon graphics, and imagery on the exterior of vaping retail shops that are designed to attract and appeal to children and teenagers. We believe that such advertising tactics are contributing to the growing prevalence of vaping among our youth.

Additionally, we propose guidelines be established to standardize the appearance of vape shop storefronts, similar to current tobacco product restrictions. All storefront windows of vape shops should only display neutral signage, potentially in black and white lettering, devoid of any product advertising.

Moreover, it is crucial that vaping products are kept out of clear view in retail outlets. They should be stored behind the counter or in closed containers, similar to how tobacco products are currently handled.

Finally, we , Mayo Comhairle na nÓg,  will launch an awareness campaign to educate the public, especially young people, about the potential harms of vaping and the deceptive practices used by the industry to market these products.

By implementing these measures, we can protect our young people from being unduly influenced by aggressive marketing tactics and help prevent a new generation from becoming dependent on nicotine. Please support this initiative to safeguard our community's health and well-being by signing this petition.

1. Persons’ Behaviour and Attitudes Survey 2022 - Substance Use - (Smoking, Alcohol & Drugs)

2. European Schools Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs. ESPAD 2019 I

3. The Irish Health Behaviour School-aged Children (HBSC) Study 2018

Generation Vape? E-cigarette use among children on the island of Ireland – insights from official data

Forecasting vaping health risks through neural network model prediction of flavour pyrolysis reactions (RCSI Study)

E-cigarette Marketing Regulations and Youth Vaping: Cross-Sectional Surveys, 2017–2019

HSE Joint response to concerns of children and young people using e-cigarettes