Ireland: Bill banning sale of tobacco under 21 submitted to Cabinet

The Irish government is set to approve legislation that will raise the minimum age at which tobacco products can be sold to a customer. 18 to 21 year olds. This measure is part of the objective of achieving a tobacco-free generation by 2025 in Ireland.

Smoking is responsible for 4,500 preventable premature deaths each year in Ireland[1] and represents a significant burden on the health system, with costs estimated at 10.6 billion euros for public hospitals. Irish health officials have said smoking causes 13% of all cancers and contributes to many preventable diseases.[3]

In addition to its serious health effects, smoking worsens social inequalities in health.

New legislation to reduce smoking

The bill to raise the legal age for the sale of tobacco products was introduced by former Minister of State for Public Health Colm Burke and has received significant support from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. The aim is to reduce smoking prevalence, with an estimated 12% reduction in smoking among young people under 25 if the bill is passed.[4] By delaying the legal age for purchasing tobacco products, the measure aims to limit the initiation of young people to smoking.

In addition to limiting direct supply to young people from tobacco retailers, this measure also aims to reduce access via peers. Indeed, young people will be less likely to attend social groups where members can legally purchase cigarettes. The influence of peers at this stage of life is established.

The Bill builds on the successes seen in the United States, where a similar measure has led to a significant reduction in youth smoking. It is also part of a broader objective to make Ireland smoke-free by 2025, through the adoption of strong tobacco control policies.[5]

More and more countries in the world are positioning themselves in favor of raising the legal age for the sale of tobacco. To be effective, however, it is essential that the new measure be strictly respected. This is not the case in France, where the ban on the sale of tobacco to minors is mostly not respected by tobacconists.

Tobacco control in Ireland: a persistent public health challenge

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said Ireland has "has been very successful in reducing smoking rates over the years." However, although the smoking rate has decreased, it has stagnated in recent years. What we're looking to see is a reduction in smoking rates among 15, 16 and 17 year olds because in fact over the last two to four years, since Covid, we've seen a very slight increase in smoking rates in that age group. " he announced.

The number of people vaping has also increased significantly in Ireland in recent years, with a 2019 study (European Schools Alcohol and Drugs Project) finding that one in six 16-year-olds (18 %) () were e-cigarette users at the time of the study.[6] Since last December, the sale of vaping products has been prohibited to those under 18.

The bill, expected before the Oireachtas (Editor's note: the Irish Parliament) before the summer, will not impact the legality of smoking for young adults aged 18 to 21 in Ireland. Other measures will also be put in place to strengthen the regulation and prevention of smoking and vaping. These include tighter restrictions on advertising, increases in taxes on tobacco and vaping products, and increased education and awareness efforts in communities and schools.

D.T.

©Tobacco Free Generation

[1] Generation without tobacco, Ireland: Towards a ban on the sale of tobacco to under-21s?, GST, published May 9, 2024, accessed June 25, 2024

[2] Michael Lehane, Bill banning sale of tobacco to under-21s to be approved, RTE, published on June 25, 2024, consulted on June 25, 2024

[3] Michael Lehane, Bill banning sale of tobacco to under-21s to be approved, RTE, published on June 25, 2024, consulted on June 25, 2024

[4] Generation without tobacco, Ireland: Towards a ban on the sale of tobacco to under-21s?, GST, published May 9, 2024, accessed June 25, 2024

[5] Generation without tobacco, Ireland: Towards a ban on the sale of tobacco to under-21s?, GST, published May 9, 2024, accessed June 25, 2024

[6] HSE Report, E-cigarettes and other nicotine delivery systems, HSE, published in 2024, accessed on June 25, 2024

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