[Intl-tobacco] Ireland to Boost Anti-Smoking Efforts (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Tuesday, February 8, 2000
Irish Times

 Agency to boost
 anti-smoking drive

 By Miriam Donohoe, Political Reporter

 An agency to step up the fight against smoking is to be
 established by the Government as part of a new national
 anti-smoking drive. The Office of Tobacco Control will
 co-ordinate and monitor Government smoking policy and will
 help enforce existing anti-smoking legislation.

 The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, told The Irish Times last
 night that the agency would be operating "in a matter of
 months". Staff for the new authority is currently being recruited
 and an office building is being sought.

 Mr Martin revealed that from next July all media advertising of
 tobacco products will be banned in the Republic, a year ahead
 of our obligations under a 1998 EU directive. The ban will be
 introduced by way of a statutory instrument.

 The Minister said the decision to establish the Office of
 Tobacco Control was prompted by the fact that enforcement
 of existing legislation and regulations was poor, especially in the
 area of the sale of cigarettes to minors and the enforcement of
 smoke-free zones.

 The Minister has also ordered a comprehensive review of all
 legislation in relation to smoking and the tobacco industry.

 "We are very unhappy at the moment with enforcement and
 compliance and I need to see why current legislation does not
 appear to be working. I am prepared to introduce tougher
 laws if necessary to improve matters," he warned.

 The Minister has also asked senior officials to review the
 antismoking health promotion campaigns. "While we have had
 many campaigns over the year, the fact is that there are more
 and more people smoking. We have to see how campaigns
 can be improved."

 Mr Martin confirmed that he would be supporting the
 Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, which is
 seeking powers to summon witnesses and request
 documentation from the Irish tobacco industry in an effort to
 find out their knowledge of the harmful effects of tobacco.

 The chairman of the committee, the Fianna F=E1il TD, Mr Batt
 O'Keeffe, said last night the matter was to be brought before
 the Cabinet today or next week. "We need these powers to
 ensure that the full story of the tobacco industry role in
 covering up the dangers of smoking and their targeting of
 young people will be made known to the public." Mr Martin
 said he would be supporting the committee move.

 The Minister sent a strong signal to the tobacco industry that
 one of the main priorities of his ministry will be to cut down on
 the numbers of people smoking, especially young people. "I
 want to see us live in a tobacco-free society and will be doing
 all in my power to achieve this," he warned.

 The Minister will shortly be launching the 1999 report of the
 Department of Health Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jim Kiely,
 which shows that 7,000 deaths a year in Ireland can be
 attributed to smoking.

 The report will reveal that 30 per cent of all cancers are linked
 to smoking.

 According to the report, cigarettes are the single most common
 cause of avoidable ill-health. It states that 50 per cent of all
 smokers will eventually die of tobacco-related illness. Of these,
 50 per cent will die in middle age.