‘A sweet shop can be flipped into a vape store overnight’ as Louth councillors call for crackdown
Louth councillors are urging legislative changes to restrict the rapid proliferation of vape shops, particularly near schools and in town centers.Summary
Louth County Council members have expressed serious concerns over the increasing number of vape shops appearing in town centers and near schools, with some stating that a shop can be converted into a vape store “almost overnight.” Councillors Robert Nash, Maeve Yore, Marianne Butler, Dolores Minogue, Pio Smith, Ciaran Fisher, and Kevin Meenan all voiced their worries about the impact of these shops on young people and the retail landscape. They are calling for changes to planning legislation to give councils greater control over the location of vape shops, potentially treating them as a distinct planning category like off-licences. Specific proposals include banning bright, child-attracting signage, limiting product visibility, and restricting shops near schools and residential areas. The council acknowledged the issue and will support amendments to planning regulations to give them more control over vape shop locations.
(Source：Independent.ie)
