Tobacco.org

EDITORIAL: Controlling tobacco  

IRELAND MAY recover its leading position in Europe as the State that does most to control the use of tobacco products because of a number of policy decisions that have been taken in recent months. An increase of 50 cent in the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes in the Budget, along with a ban on tobacco advertising and displays in retail premises that will take effect from next July, are likely to have a significant impact on tobacco consumption, particularly among young people. More could be done in providing stop-smoking services and in funding public information campaigns but these recent policy decisions represent a significant advance. . . .

By raising prices, banning promotional materials and enforcing the law on the sale of cigarettes to minors, the trend towards increased consumption will hopefully be reversed.

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£50million worth of illegal cigarettes seized in less than two years  

More than £50 million (63m euro) worth of illegal cigarettes have been seized by the authorities across Ireland in less than two years.

In the last 20 months Revenue Commissioners in the Irish Republic have recovered around 160 million cigarettes with an estimated value of 59 million euro (£46.5m).

In Northern Ireland 12 million cigarettes worth £3.3 million (4.2m euro) were seized over the last year. . . .

The extent of the tobacco smuggling trade across the island was outlined at a cross-border law enforcement conference today.

Northern Ireland Security Minister Paul Goggins and Irish Minister of Justice Dermot Ahern TD were joined by PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde and An Garda Síochána Commissioner Fachtna Murphy at the event in Enniskillen.

The ongoing efforts of the authorities to tackle cigarette, drug and fuel smuggling, people trafficking, money laundering and the illegal import of weapons were detailed at the Cross-Border Organised Crime Seminar.

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ROBBINS: In a puff, my sporting career was stubbed out 

Myself and the Arsenal captain, William Gallas, have something in common: we both like a fag. Regrettably, the similarities end there; he is an elite athlete and sportsman whose appearance in public last week holding an unlit cigarette caused a furore, while my sporting -- and smoking -- career peaked with my selection for Bective Rangers 3rd Bs rugby team.

Gallas's manager, the redo-ubtable Arsene Wenger, threw a strop when the photo of his captain appeared in the press. "He has a responsibility as captain of Arsenal and that cannot be accepted -- it is a public job with a public responsibility."

My manager, the equally redoubtable club alikadoo nicknamed Muscles, never minded a bit of cigarette smoke in the dressingroom. He used to inhale the heady scent of Marlboros and Wintergreen and ann-ounce: "Well boys, at least we smell fit."

I always treasured the first fag after training or after a match. . . .

I do not mean to say that sportsmen should smoke. I'm sure those who do wish they didn't. But in the scheme of things, it's not the greatest evil in the world, and people, even sportsmen, have a right to live as they see fit, within the law, both of the land and of the sport.

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Republic second best for tobacco controls 

IRELAND has emerged as the second most successful country of the 27 EU member states in implementing measures to reduce the level of smoking among its population.

A study involving 340,000 participants across the EU, ranks Ireland in second place just behind Britain for having effective tobacco controls. However, it highlighted how smokers in Ireland have almost twice the safe level of carbon monoxide in their system.

The report showed Ireland scored highly on criteria such as tobacco prices, smoking bans, information and awareness campaigns, advertising bans, health warnings and treatments to help people stop smoking.

However, Ireland has slipped from first place since 2005 because it failed to make any significant improvements on measures already in place since the smoking ban in 2004. (The findings were concluded before the 50c excise increase per pack.)

Smoking levels in Ireland are estimated at 29%.

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Over one million smokers puff on 15 a day  

More than a million Irish people smoke an average of 15 cigarettes a day despite the public smoking ban.

Although we were first in Europe to impose a complete ban on smoking in public places four years ago, we now rank sixth worst for the average amount of cigarettes smoked every day.

Only smokers in Malta, Greece, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Cyprus have heavier habits than Ireland's nicotine addicts, the EU survey report revealed.

Ireland has also lost its crown as the number one country in the EU for tobacco control measures after falling to second place behind the UK.

The findings emerged in the EU report after a three-year campaign to reduce smoking across member states and cut preventable deaths.

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Health workers must boost women's awareness of smoking-related cancers 

Healthcare workers across the board need to boost women’s awareness of the range of smoking-related cancers, a public meeting launching results from the EU HELP campaign heard today. This may include taking measures to provide smokers presenting with the human papilloma virus (HPV) the help to quit.

Ms Norma Cronin, Tobacco Control Health Promotion Manager with the Irish Cancer Society, stated that a rise in smoking among 15- to 17-year-olds ‘will have a knock-on effect on women – lung cancer being the main effect’.

However, she also identified that the cancer-causing HPV takes longer to regress in smokers because of chemicals from tobacco that remain in the mucous of the cervix. “Smoking is secondary – you need to have the HPV virus in the first place but, if you’re smoking, it may prevent your body expelling the virus,” she told IMT.

Ms Cronin voiced her belief in brief intervention ‘among all healthcare workers’ and suggested that smear-takers pursue the topic of smoking with their patient.

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• Ireland scores highly for tobacco control 

Ireland is second out of 27 European countries for tobacco control measures, according to the EU's 'Help - For a Life Without Tobacco' campaign.

The news came today at the launch of the campaign's carbon monoxide (CO) test results in Dublin.

A country's Tobacco Control Score is calculated over six categories that include price, public place bans (both of which Ireland scored well in), public information campaign spending, advertising bans, health warnings and treatment.

Ireland achieved a score of 74in this survey, leaving it second only to the UK from a pool of 27 participating countries.

Speaking at the launch, Professor Luke Clancy, Director General of the Tobacco Free Research Institute, said while it was good news that Ireland had achieved this result, there was no room for complacency.

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Smokers still have 15-a-day habit 

The Republic is the toughest country in Europe on smokers after the UK, a major survey has revealed. But cigarette users here still have an average 15-a-day habit, which is the sixth highest out of 27 EU countries.

The country's tobacco control score of 74 - the second strictest in the EU after the UK - was measured by the EU HELP Campaign for a Life Without Tobacco.

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Irish Heart Foundation disappointed at 'token' rise in cigarette price 

The Irish Heart Foundation has said it is very disappointed with the ‘token’ budget tax increase on tobacco.

Dr Brian Maurer, Medical Director Irish Heart Foundation said: “It is well proven that price is the most effective deterrent to young people taking up smoking and to encourage existing smokers to quit. As the national charity fighting heart disease and stroke, the Irish Heart Foundation is extremely frustrated by the Government’s failure to increase the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes by €2.”

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Tobacco, alcohol and petrol hikes worth €345m  

TOBACCO, ALCOHOL and petrol price increases which came into effect from midnight last night will earn the exchequer €43 million by the end of this year and €302 million next year.

During a late night Dáil debate on income and excise increases, all parties accepted the 50 cent increase on packets of 20 cigarettes and the 50 cent increase on bottles of wine, as well as a move to increase the tax on betting from 1 to 2 per cent, which comes into effect on January first next.

There were however sharp exchanges over the plan to increase petrol prices by eight cent a litre, and former Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said it "beggars belief that the Government would increase petrol prices when most Ministers haven't been in a petrol forecourt in a long time".

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Price of cigarettes increased by 50c 

The price of a packet of 20 cigarettes is top increase by 50c from midnight tonight, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has announced in his Budget speech today.

The price of a bottle of wine is also increase by 50c.

Irish Heart Foundation has expressed its disappointment at what it called a 'token tax increase'.

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€100,000 of tobacco products seized 

Customs officers at Dublin Airport seized 289,000 cigarettes and 50kg of tobacco after they swooped on smugglers from Northern Ireland, Romania and Latvia, it emerged today.

The total potential loss to the Exchequer from the seizures amounts to €96,500.

Some 126,200 cigarettes were yesterday seized from a Romanian gang who had flown to Dublin from Bucharest via Prague.

A total of 100,000 cigarettes were also confiscated from criminals smuggling cigarettes into Ireland from Riga in Latvia and Vilnius in Lithuania.

Today, in an intelligence-led operation against a gang based in the North, 63,000 cigarettes and 50kg of tobacco were seized from passengers arriving on a flight from the Canary Islands.

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OTC calls for cigarette price hike 

The Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) has called for an increase in the cost of cigarettes by a minimum of €1, with a corresponding increase on roll-your-own tobacco.

The OTC has made the call to Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, in their pre-budget submission. The OTC also recommended a VAT reduction for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products, and the creation of a dedicated fund for health promotion.

A significant price increase, supported by well funded cessation services and information campaigns, as well as more affordable NRT products, will impact smoking prevalence significantly in years to come, said Éamonn Rossi, OTC Chief Executive.

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New tobacco laws threaten local shops says Daingean trader 

A new law banning the display of tobacco products could seriously damage profits for smaller shops, according to a Daingean trader.

"Shop owners across Offaly will be forced to place all tobacco products under the counter and completely out of sight of their customers. No-one will have a clue whether we even sell tobacco or not," said Noel Quinn, of Quinn's Supermarket in Daingean, and member of the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association (CSNA).

The Public Health Tobacco Acts 2002 and 2004 Acts will ban point-of-sale advertising and the display of tobacco products from July 1 2009.

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€100,000 of tobacco products seized 

Customs Officers at Dublin airport have seized cigarettes and tobacco worth nearly €100,000.

Almost 290,000 cigarettes and 50 kilograms of tobacco were uncovered as part of the operation, which targeted smuggling gangs from Latvia, Romania and Northern Ireland.

Over 120,000 cigarettes were seized from a Romanian gang, who travelled to Dublin from Bucharest via Prague.

100,000 cigarettes were also seized from gangs from Riga and Vilnius.

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