Vaping must be banned to protect young people’s health
VAPING is bad, it’s that simple, but it’s also very profitable. As cigarette smoking rates decline, it is the new version appealing to a new and younger audience.
There is little to support it with the few proclaiming it as a medical aid to cigarette withdrawal really pushing the factual limits.
That it comes in packaging aimed at children, with fun flavours and shapes that look like stationery such as highlighters that can be hidden in plain view shows a misleading approach that should be condemned.
In Australia, there have been attempts to ban it, although the illegal markets will make that difficult. The concerns are highlighted with a simple example: senior students are struggling with doing three-hour exams, not as usual because of the content, but because they can’t take a ‘smoko break’. Banning it is a good start but it must be stopped by massive fines, confiscation, police, customs and medical support and parents must not shirk their responsibilities. I, however, doubt this will be enough. DENNIS FITZGERALD,
Melbourne, Australia.
Respect rule of law
I LISTENED to the full interim ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the emergency measures requested by South Africa in its genocide case against Israel. The judgement, as presented by the court president Joan E. Donoghue, was unequivocal and a very clear acceptance of the South African case. Importantly, in addition to its interim rulings, the court accepted that Israel does have a case to answer regarding the accusation that its actions in Gaza may amount to genocide, although its examination of this may take years.
The court’s call for the immediate release of all the hostages held by Hamas and others in Gaza is also to be welcomed.
The court’s comments on complicity in genocide should be of concern to others including the US, given its support for the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
Irish complicity in unjustified wars and the degradation of the rule of international laws has been happening over the past three decades. This ruling is a significant boost for the rule of international law, which has been under concerted attack. The degradation of international laws accelerated in the 21st century with the US-led wars and overthrow of governments in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya and military interventions in Syria, Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere, and the Russian war against Ukraine.
Ireland should fully restore its active neutrality and campaign for reform of the UN and reform and enforcement of the rules of international laws. EDWARD HORGAN, Castletroy, Limerick. ... The verdict of the International Court of Justice in relation to the Israeli-Hamas conflict is a complete sham, a typical fudge from people who can’t make a decisive decision on a life-or-death situation. The court calls on Israel to avoid genocide but fails to say whether or not it is already guilty of genocide as a result of the indiscriminate bombing and the huge number of civilian deaths it has already caused.
It raises the question as to whether or not the court is prepared to accept a certain number of civilian deaths before it starts talking about genocide.
Accepting the excuses of Israeli army spokesmen, when they claim they don’t deliberately target civilians is like exonerating the person who drives at speed through a red traffic light. He doesn’t mean to kill anybody either but he knows it is very likely he will and does it anyway. The court’s failure to order a ceasefire has effectively suspended the civil and human rights of the civilian population of Gaza and accuses them of guilt by association. It also gives Israel the go-ahead for more of the same. FRANK O’CONNOR, Blarney, Co. Cork.