THE JOINT COMMITTEE on Health published its report this week on pre-legislative scrutiny of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019.
A number of recommendations were made including a ban on all flavours added to electronic cigarettes (other than tobacco flavour).
The rationale given was that flavours attract young people and that removing their availability would be less appealing to adolescents and this would curtail their use.
The report also states that âtobacco costs the Irish exchequer âĴ10.6 billion every year and that 6,000 deaths a year are caused as a result of smokingâ. Nobody can argue with those eye-watering statistics and every effort should be made to reduce smoking harm to all of our citizens.
Further, one of the aims of this bill is âto ensure a smoke-free future for younger people growing up today and to assist smokers who wish to quit a life-long addictionâ. The aim is a tobacco-free Ireland by 2037. We have been steadily making progress in reducing the overall number of people who smoke. In 2015 23% of the population smoked. In 2022 that figure is less than 20%.
Progress made
We need to do more, no question, but the statistics are moving in the right direction. This has been achieved in no small part by the enhancement of smoking cessation options available to smokers over the past decade or so.
Dr. Garrett McGovern – The Journal – 2022-08-03
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