A ban on the sale of packs of 10 cigarettes comes into effect later this week, the Department of Health has confirmed.
The ban, which is aimed at stopping teenagers in particular from starting to smoke, was originally meant to come into effect on October 1st last year. However, it was delayed after the tobacco industry, in submissions to the department, said that for logistical reasons it could not meet that deadline. It argued stocks had been manufactured and were in the distribution chain and could not be easily recalled.
It will now be illegal to sell cigarettes in packs of fewer than 20 from Thursday. The sale of confectioneries that resemble tobacco products will also be banned.
A person guilty of these offences will be liable on summary conviction in the District Court to a fine of up to €3,000 or to imprisonment for up to three months, or both, or on conviction on indictment in a higher court to a fine of up to €125,000, or to imprisonment for a term of up to two years, or both.
The legislation is to be enforced by the Health Service Executive (HSE). But the Department of Health said a period of grace would be given to shops to get rid of stocks of 10 packs. "As with any new legislation, there will be a lead-in period to allow for product wash out," it said.
It believes that this period will be weeks rather than months.
It added it was not envisaged it would be necessary to bring prosecutions. "Our previous experience in related areas is that, after the wash out of existing products has taken place, there are no problems with compliance."
The commencement of the ban will coincide with World No Tobacco Day and with a one-day conference on young people and tobacco in Dublin which is being organised by the Office of Tobacco Control. National and international speakers at the conference will discuss why young people start to smoke, the consequences, and explore actions which help to reduce children and youth smoking.
Meanwhile, the representative body for convenience stores and newsagents has said a national identity card system should be put in place which would make it easier to determine if those trying to buy cigarettes were over 18 years or not.
Vincent Jennings, chief executive of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association, said many staff in shops had been intimidated and threatened by young people attempting to buy cigarettes. Yet he said it was not an offence for a person under 18 to purchase tobacco but it was an offence to sell it to them.
He also said if cigarettes were to be successfully denied to all young persons, the growing rate of cigarette smuggling must be reversed. "Over 17 per cent of all cigarettes smoked in Ireland are without Irish duties and taxes paid on them . . . many of these cigarettes are being sold in housing estates and markets at €3 per packet," he said.