[Intl-tobacco] Irish govt gets tough on smoking to help children (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Irish govt gets tough on smoking to help children
Source: Fox News, Tuesday, 3/7/00
4:58 p.m. ET (2158 GMT) March 7, 2000

=09    DUBLIN, March 7  =97  The Irish government said on
Tuesday it planned to get tough on smoking, outlawing the sale
of cigarettes to under-18s and controlling the sale and
advertising of tobacco products.

=09    Among a raft of measures aimed primarily at stopping
children smoking, Health Minister Michael Martin said he planned
to ban packet sizes of less than 20 cigarettes, which many
believe are attractive to under-age smokers.

=09    "We're developing strong proposals in terms of raising the
age limit and raising fines for those caught selling cigarettes
to those under that age,'' Martin said.

=09    Currently, cigarettes can be sold to anyone above the age of
16 in Ireland, the minister said.

=09    Martin said the government planned to keep cigarette prices
high and would outlaw tobacco advertising and sports sponsorship
from July in line with European Union directives.

=09    The announcement came amid mounting concern in Ireland about
the cost of smoking to the national health service and the
number of children addicted to tobacco.

=09    "We need to rescue the children. We need to prevent them
from starting and help them if they have already started,''
Martin said before presenting the proposals to parliament.

=09    In his last budget, Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy
slapped a 50 pence ($0.61) tax rise on each pack of cigarettes.

=09    Martin rejected suggestions the government was prepared to
collude with the tobacco industry because of the contribution
cigarette taxes made to state coffers.

=09    The proposals were welcomed by anti-smoking pressure group
ASH, which called them a new departure for Ireland.

=09    "If it's resourced properly and he puts the resources
behind the legislation, we are seeing the beginning of the end
of tobacco addiction in children,'' an ASH spokesman said.

=09    Wednesday is Ash Wednesday in Ireland and also the country's
National No Smoking Day.