A BAN ON the display of tobacco products and other in-store advertising has been imposed and will, hopefully, lead to a reduction in the incidence of smoking by children and young persons. For years, tobacco companies engaged in a determined effort to “normalise” smoking in the eyes of children by arranging for their products and advertising material to be displayed alongside sweets and chocolates. They had to be stopped. It was an insidious campaign that regarded company profits as more important than the health of children and the lives of adults.
By taking this action, the Government has given a lead to the rest of Europe. Five years ago, it caused something of a sensation when it banned smoking in the workplace for health reasons. Since then, a number of European Union states have followed suit and others are moving in that direction. But the tobacco industry is fighting an effective rearguard action. Just how effective can be gleaned from the fact that while tobacco consumption fell in the aftermath of the workplace ban in this State, it has since recovered. That was achieved through an increase in sales to young people and to women in particular.
Recent research discovered that under-aged persons were being allowed to buy cigarettes from vending machines at 40 per cent of all outlets. To counteract that, the machines will now have to be operated by tokens and will have to be placed under the control of a staff member. Fines of up to €3,000 can be imposed for breaches of this and other regulations.
Price has always been the single most important factor in determining whether – and how much – children smoke. Most users go on to develop a nicotine addiction between the ages of 14 and 18 years. Price is also a major factor in encouraging users to quit the habit. Here too, the Government has been active. The price of 20 cigarettes was pushed up by 75 cent within the past year and it may rise again in the next budget.
The cost to the health services of treating tobacco-related illnesses has been estimated at €1 billion. That is a great deal of money and it could be used productively elsewhere. More important than money, however, is the 6,000 deaths a year caused by nicotine and the tens of thousands of addicts whose lives are blighted by poor health. Young women are now more likely to smoke than young men. They find it harder to quit. If these laws protect members of a new generation from death by lung cancer they will be fully vindicated.