Taoiseach wants councils to look at restricting vape shops in local towns
Summary
Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin has called for local authorities to consider using planning laws to restrict the growing number of vape shops in towns. Speaking at a Fianna Fáil event, he described the vaping industry as the "revenge of Big Tobacco," highlighting its targeting of young people and unknown health risks. Martin referenced industry estimates of around 3,300 vaping retailers in Ireland and argued their proliferation negatively impacts the architectural and aesthetic presentation of towns. While acknowledging the difficulty of implementing such measures, he stressed the need for control, drawing parallels to past planning restrictions on other shop types and his own history introducing the smoking ban.
(Source:Thejournal)