According to a report by the Irish Post on December 24, Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that there are plans to ban smoking in Ireland.
Donnelly said he planned to raise the legal age to buy cigarettes to 21, the first step in his landmark campaign to ban smoking in Ireland. He told the media that his plan "will save a lot of lives."
He hopes to introduce legislation similar to one recently proposed in the UK, where the Conservative government aims to make it a crime for anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, to be sold tobacco products. This means it will effectively increase the smoking age every year until everyone is covered by the rule. It is expected that by 2040, youth smoking should be basically eradicated.
Donnelly said he had asked his officials to "prepare some options" for the legislation needed for his landmark plan.
Donnelly said: "I'm looking at raising the smoking age. Currently, it's illegal to buy cigarettes before you're 18. I think there's a very strong public health reason to increase the age. It should at least look at 21 (but) I think we It should be opened further."
He also revealed that his grandmother died from emphysema caused by smoking, and her death was not a happy one.
Last week, Donnelly opened Part 28 of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhalation Products) Bill, which would ban the sale of nicotine inhalation products to people under 18. Those who violate the new law may face fines of up to 4,000 euros and/or imprisonment of up to 6 months.
He added: “I am grateful to my colleagues in both Houses of Parliament for understanding the urgency of our children and supporting me in quickly getting this law implemented. I also want to thank the officers in my department and the staff of the Attorney General’s Office, They have worked hard to improve the statutory regulations so that we can implement this ban from tomorrow."
He said, "In 2024, I will launch other measures in the bill (such as advertising, licensing systems and vending machines, etc.), and we will examine the results of public consultation on e-cigarettes and other tobacco."
