Calls made for advertising restrictions on vape shops in Mayo
Calls have been made by Mayo councillors for restrictions to be introduced on the growing number of vape shops across the county, amid concerns about their appeal to children.
A motion was brought forward to Mayo County Council asking them to introduce a range of measures to limit the marketing of vaping products and associated imagery.
Cllr Marie Therese Duffy asked the council executive to consider bringing in legislative changes that restrict the use of bright neon signage, cartoon-style graphics, other imagery on the outside of vape shops, and the selling of products aimed at children.
As well as selling vapes, many outlets can be seen selling products that have become popular with younger generations, one example being the plush toy ‘Labubu’.
The small, fluffy toys, recognisable by their pointy ears and distinctive toothy grin, became a global craze last summer and are now commonly displayed in the windows of vape shops nationwide, not just in Mayo.
Additionally, Cllr Duffy proposed that vape shop windows be covered or limited to neutral-coloured signage, in line with restrictions placed on tobacco products.
Under Ireland’s Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Act 2015, all branding elements, including logos, colours and graphics, were removed from tobacco packaging. The legislation came into force in September 2017.
Her notice of motion also called for guidelines requiring vape shops to adopt plain storefront designs, such as black-and-white lettering, with no product advertising visible from outside.
Cllr Duffy proposed that vape shop windows display only neutral-coloured signage and that no products should be visible from the outside. Photo: Stock Image.
Beyond specialist vape outlets, the councillor also urged that vaping products be kept out of sight in all retail settings, stored behind counters or in closed units, similar to the existing rules governing tobacco products.
Responding to the motion, the council’s Director of Services, Catherine McConnell, said current planning legislation does not differentiate between types of retail use.
As a result, converting a premises from one retail activity to another is considered an exempted development and does not fall under the planning authority’s control.
Ms McConnell noted that planning permission may only be required where external alterations affect a protected structure or materially change a building’s proportions, openings, roof height or materials within an Architectural Conservation Area.
She added that while advertising structures and signage are regulated, existing rules do not extend to the use of colour imagery or window displays.
This is not the first time that elected representatives in Mayo have called for certain restrictions to be placed on vape shops.
Previously, councillor Harry Barry raised the issue at a meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District, where he urged the council to limit the number of vaping retail outlets opening in the county town.
He was informed by the head of the Castlebar Municipal District, David Mellett, that the local authority has no power to control what type of business operates from a unit that is already in commercial use, and that any change to this would require national legislation.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.