The Minister for Health in Ireland is getting a little over-excited, Calm down, dear:
A Tobacco Free Ireland by 2025! That is the overall aim of a new tobacco policy, Tobacco Free Ireland launched by Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly today.
Tobacco Free Ireland provides over 60 recommendations with the overall aim of de-normalising smoking in Irish society. The document also sets out measures to: protect children from the harms of tobacco; enforce, regulate and legislate for tobacco activities and products; educate citizens about the dangers of tobacco; assist those who smoke to stop.
The press release continues:
The Minister referred to the Healthy Ireland report which he launched in April of this year which emphasises the need for a "whole of society" and partnership approach in making Ireland healthy. Citing examples of where partnerships were already up and running in the tobacco area the Minister said:
"ASH Ireland has been working closely with local authorities in implementing smoke-free playgrounds and together they have achieved very positive results - 75% of County Councils and 60% of City Councils are now on board. Dublin City Council is currently working with the HSE in permitting HSE buildings to be utilised to erect large scale QUIT campaign banners.
"I am delighted to hear that both UCD and Trinity are considering plans to make their campuses smoke free and I would encourage other third level colleges to follow their lead. By working together we can achieve our aim of being tobacco free by 2025."
I haven't read the report yet but you can find it here.
Meanwhile Forest Eireann has responded by arguing that the denormalisation of smoking is "morally wrong".
"It is morally wrong to denormalise smoking because that means stigmatising consumers of a legal product enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of adults throughout the country.
"Smokers contribute a huge amount of money to the government through tobacco taxation. Denormalising tobacco will drive more and more people to the black market and the fringes of society.
"The smoking ban closed hundreds of pubs. It ruined many people's social lives but had very little impact on smoking rates so the idea that Ireland will be tobacco-free by 2025 is a figment of James Reilly's imagination.
"This personal crusade to denormalise tobacco and stigmatise adults who choose to smoke has got to stop. What next? Alcohol? Sugary drinks? Convenience food?"
Update: The Irish Examiner reports that Reilly would like to "substantially raise the price of tobacco every year, for the lifetime of this Government".
You've got to laugh. Ireland has an even worse problem with illicit trade than the UK, and all due to the country's ridiculously high levels of tobacco taxation. (Tobacco in Ireland is even more expensive than in Britain.)
As it happens there's a Budget coming up so we'll see what the Minister for Finance thinks of his colleague's desperate plan.
Update: RTE News has a report on Reilly's initiative here (Reilly announces plan for tobacco-free Ireland). Includes a quote from Forest Eireann.