Smoking rates among the poor are up to 20 per cent higher than among the better off, the Irish Cancer Society has said.
Ms Norma Cronin, health promotions manager in the tobacco control section of the society said resources must be better targeted to address the "far higher" rates of smoking among lower socio-economic groups. She said smoking was the primary reason for the gap in healthy life expectancy between the social classes.
For example, she said, of women in the 18 to 34 year age group who have not completed second-level education, 48 per cent were smokers.
Among those who have completed second level - and were generally in higher socio-economic groups - just 28 per cent smoked, she said.
"It really is an issue that must be addressed. We in the society are looking at it and initially I would say there needs to be more community-based programmes."
She said it was positive that nicotine-replacement therapy was now available on the medical card, but societal factors that caused poorer people to smoke more had to be examined.
Speaking yesterday on World No Tobacco Day, she said smokers gave up for for different reasons and that for those in lower socio-economic groups there seemed to be less to gain from quitting. She said there was less optimism among poorer members of society. The theme yesterday, "Tobacco and Poverty - a vicious circle", also highlighted the growing prevalence of smoking in developing countries as compared with declining rates in the West.
The Irish Cancer Society said buying a packet of cigarettes a day here could cost a family up to €2,190 a year. While about 71,000 households experienced consistent poverty, living on less than €172 per adult per week, the spend on tobacco had reached €1.9 billion last year - higher than the total expenditure on petrol, electricity, coal, peat and oil combined, said the society.
Ms Cronin said, however, the society was sensitive to the charge that it may be blaming the poor for their situation by implying that smoking was at the root of their poverty.
"We are not saying that at all. Smoking is addictive and there are wider societal factors at play. We understand there are psychological and physical aspects to the addiction. There is still a lot of poverty out there and mental well-being is lower among the poorer groups. There's more depression and as I said less optimism."
She said physical health was worse among the poor but that smoking was the most important preventible cause of lung cancer and heart disease. More innovative ways of addressing smoking among poorer people were needed.
Also yesterday the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, expressed his delight with news that there is 97 per cent compliance with the smoking ban by publicans.
"It's a tribute to the Irish people and a tribute to the publicans and people in the hospitality sector who have ensured from the beginning that people are in compliance."
He said it was a good story for Ireland, and embassies had expressed "great interest in the Irish phenomena". Ireland's international image had benefited greatly as well.
"I always had an understanding of where publicans were coming from because it was their trade so I never had any difficulty in understanding their concerns.
"I'm glad that things have worked out differently and I'm glad there is no evidence of any reduction in consumption. Indeed the evidence is showing that an additional number of people who previously didn't go out to restaurants and pubs are now going out," he said.
• Meanwhile, the Psychiatric Nurses' Association is threatening legal action against hospital managers over their failure to provide patient smoking rooms. Staff are being exposed to smoke as psychiatric hospitals are exempt from the ban because they are often the patients' long-term residence.
The National Smokers' Quitline can be reached on 1850 201 203.