Tobacco-free Plan for Republic of Ireland

The Irish Health Minister has published Tobacco Free Ireland, a new tobacco policy with the aim to free Ireland from tobacco by 2025. The plan makes 60 recommendations to significantly reduce smoking over the next 12 years. The plan calls for greater restrictions on the types of outlets from which tobacco products can be sold, advocating a ban on all self-service cigarette vending machines and greater regulation of tobacco retailers. It also sets out several recommendations for what it called the "de-normalisation" of tobacco use in Irish society. The recommendations for de-normalisation of tobacco use are as follow: •    Protect children from the harms of tobacco; •    Enforce, regulate and legislate for tobacco activities and products; •    Educate citizens about the dangers of tobacco; •    Assist those who smoke to stop Besides, it also says tobacco would still be available, but at an increased cost. In 2004, the Republic of Ireland was the first to introduce a complete work-place smoking ban, controversially including pubs and clubs in the legislation. The ban has been largely hailed as a success, with a 97% compliance rate. Earlier this year, a study of the effects of the ban estimated that up to 3,726 smoking-related deaths were prevented since 2004. But, according to the latest figures, 22% of people aged 15 and over regularly smoke cigarettes in the Republic of Ireland. The health minister, while releasing the new tobacco policy said smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in Ireland. Each year at least 5,200 people die from diseases caused by tobacco use. This represents almost one in five of all deaths. The Tobacco Free Ireland report was compiled by the Tobacco Policy Review Group. The group consists of 12 staff from the Irish Department of Health, the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) and the National Tobacco Control Office.