Higher education minister faces calls to ban nicotine companies from distributing products on college campuses  

Social Democrats spokesperson for further and higher education Jen Cummins made the call as she learned of one such company present at a college campus this week. File picture

The minister for further and higher education is facing calls to ensure that all nicotine companies are banned from distributing and marketing products such as nicotine pouches on college campuses.

Social Democrats spokesperson for further and higher education Jen Cummins made the call as she learned of one such company present at a college campus this week.

“I was absolutely appalled to learn that a company was present at one college campus this week, blatantly handing out free nicotine pouches to students,” she said.

“It is disgraceful that young people would be cynically targeted in this way, particularly as no effort was made to verify if the students were under the age of 18.”

While these pouches are often branded as a safer alternative to smoking, they should be viewed as a gateway to lifelong nicotine dependency, she added.

“This is part of a worrying trend where nicotine companies are turning up at festivals, venues, and events where young people are likely to attend.

“Our third level institutions must not be used as vehicles for the promotion of such products.

“I will be raising this matter with the Minister for Further and Higher Education and call on him to ensure that all nicotine companies will be banned from peddling their disgusting products in our colleges.”

When contacted by the Irish Examiner, a spokesperson for the Department of Further and Higher Education said the query is best directed to the Department of Health.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said all retailers have been required to hold a licence to sell tobacco products and nicotine-inhaling products since the beginning of August.

“Licences are not granted for temporary or moveable premises such as those at festivals. As the licensing system has only recently become operational, it does not currently include other nicotine products. 

"This will be considered as part of the review of Ireland's Tobacco Free Ireland policy, which is currently underway.”

New nicotine products, such as pouches, do not currently fall under European Union or domestic tobacco control law, the spokesperson added. 

"As such, they are not subject to the advertising and sponsorship restrictions for electronic cigarettes under the EU Tobacco Products Directive. The Minister for Health has called for the directive to be revised to include all novel nicotine products, including pouches." 

• Jess Casey is Education Correspondent.