Ireland has led the way in many aspects of anti-smoking legislation and it is the ambition of Minister for Children (and former Minister for Health) Dr James Reilly that eventually Ireland will be 'smoke free'.
Given the side effects of smoking - such as cancer, lung disease, heart disease and other ailments - this is a laudable ambition, even if it seems unrealistic from our present perspective.
Although there were naysayers when the smoking ban was first introduced in bars, restaurants and public places, now most people accept it as part of life - if they want to smoke they have to go outside. It has become part of what we are, and indeed the Irish model has been accepted almost everywhere as the right thing to do.
The latest anti-smoking regulations comes in the form of a proposal to ban under-18s from selling cigarettes or other tobacco products or from using electronic cigarettes. It is also proposed to ban cigarette/tobacco vending machines, which will mostly effect public houses and bars.
Inevitably, there will be those who believe it is interference from the 'nanny state' and may have a detrimental effect on small family-run businesses where young sons and daughters are left 'minding the shop' on various occasions.
However, these measures are a logical step in the continuing battle against the damaging effects of tobacco, particularly on young people who continue to become addicted to it despite repeated warnings and public education programmes. Under-18s are legally precluded from selling alcohol products - and barring them from selling tobacco products is also logical,.
There are those who would like to see zero tolerance for tobacco and tobacco products, but realistically we have to recognise the right of adults to smoke if they so wish, even after they have been made aware of all the adverse consequences. However, as a society we also have a duty to make it as difficult as possible for people to harm themselves in this way. That is why these latest measure are to be welcomed as a necessary adjunct to the smoking ban and other anti-tobacco measures.
Source: Irish Independent, 03/12/14
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