Opinion: New legislation to tackle vaping is timely - KilkennyLive

Vaping has become a major problem in the youth that is getting worse day by day.
New legislation has been brought in by the Government compelling retailers to pay an annual fee of €1,800 if they are selling tobacco or vaping products.

E-cigarettes were introduced back in 2003. At this point in time, it was designed to allow people who suffered from smoking addictions to be able to try and quit smoking. However, in more recent years, many people have turned to vaping. In some cases, many people have quit smoking thanks to vaping and e- cigarettes.

However, within the last five years, many young people have now started to vape, which, instead of helping to stop addiction, is in actuality creating an addiction. Vapes are sold in bright colours with many different flavours, such as different types of fruit. As a teenager, this naturally catches the eye and draws your attention.

Young people nowadays are exposed to social media, which plays a big part in all of this. Teenagers are met with advertisements of these colourful, fruit flavored air tubes and never really think too much into the effects of it.

Another factor which exposes the younger generation to vapes is when seeing a family member or friend doing it. As teenagers, we rely and trust the people we have strong relationships with, so automatically, the brain thinks ‘If they are vaping, it mustn't be that bad, right?’

The list of factors as to why young people vape ranges widely, from advertisements, to seeing it in movies and series, to simply walking down the street. Many schools have rules banning vapes yet it still doesn’t prevent young people from vaping on street corners or, as some parents might be shocked, in their own home.

As a child, I used to see the world in very bright colours, vibrant and buzzing with life, but as I entered my teenage years, the world around me was replaced by a lesser version and in its place stood reality. The sight of people my age vaping whenever they get the chance, or people in sport being unable to perform to their best because they were out of breath was that of a disappointing image. The world has faded into a more greyish tone in my eyes.

Local TD Jennifer Murnane O’Connor said she hopes “this legislation will go a long way to discourage our young people in Carlow and Kilkenny from ever taking up the habit of smoking.” She also stated how “vaping was originally marketed in a positive way at regular cigarette smokers as a means to help them kick the habit, but it then became a sinister marketing ploy targeting young people to start smoking.” She also expresses her worry that she is “quite certain that the more research that is done on vaping, it will prove to be even more dangerous than cigarettes.”

As a young person who is also worried about the current situation regarding vapes and e-cigarettes, I do hope that this new legislation can prevent young people from vaping so that we can bring back a much happier, and a less sinister livelihood for young people.