Belfast Council is to look at banning all under 18’s vaping at its sites and premises around the city.
UUP Councillor and Doctor John Kyle has forwarded a motion to be debated by the full council next week, calling upon Belfast City Council to convene a working group with other stakeholders considering measures to strengthen current legislation and enforcement in relation to vaping. The motion also calls for a ban on the use of vapes by all under 18's in all council premises.
The motion states: “Belfast faces a growing problem of vaping by children and young adults. These products are addictive, damaging to health and often contain illegal substances.
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“The legislation covering their sale is inadequate. While it is illegal to sell them to under 18’s, there is no registration of retailers, no restriction on the display of the products and no resources to identify illegal and harmful additives. Some disposable vapes are designed to be attractive to children and many are discarded in the street posing an environmental and health risk.
“In the face of a developing public health crisis, this council will convene a working group with other stakeholders, including the Department of Health, the Public Health Agency and the PSNI to consider measures to strengthen current legislation and enforcement, including the consideration of a ban on the sale of disposable vapes. Furthermore, the council will ban the use of vapes by under 18s in all its sites and premises.”
At the recent meeting of the council’s Standards and Business Committee, Councillor Kyle said: “Part of the purpose of this motion is that people, particularly parents of young people, are unaware of the dangers of vaping. It has become such a common practice with kids at school.
“Part of the purpose is to publicise the issue, make people aware of it, so I propose it is aired at full council before going for consideration to committee to work it through. It would be beneficial if we as a council give some air space to what is a growing public health problem.”
Councillors unanimously voted to take the motion to April's full council.
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