Health Promotion
Seanad Éireann — 2024-01-30
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Tim Lombard (FG), Agricultural Panel

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. It is very important that we make submissions on this and engage. By 2025, we will hopefully have an appropriate framework in place in order that teachers can engage with students and are empowered to deliver this programme. It is a changing world. Vaping was not an issue four or five years ago but it is a significant issue now.
I compliment the students in Dunmanway on their work and engaging with the pupils in their school to come up with these results. The real issue is that vaping is being used as a gateway drug. Traditionally, people used vaping to get off cigarettes but now vaping is a precursor to smoking cigarettes, which is the twist in the tail. It is a significant issue, particularly for young people in primary school who vape, then vape while in secondary school and, potentially, become smokers afterwards. I welcome the actual news but we need to do more, if we possibly could.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:52:35+00:00
Sitting date: 2024-01-30