This document outlines Ireland's plan to achieve a tobacco free society by 2025 with a smoking rate of less than 5%. Key aspects of the plan include strengthening tobacco control policies like marketing restrictions and smoke-free laws, increasing enforcement and compliance, expanding cessation programs, and reducing youth smoking rates which have already declined significantly but remain unacceptable. The goal is to continue building on past successes like workplace smoking bans and packaging restrictions to promote health and denormalize tobacco use.

1. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
5th/9th June 2014
The Endgame: Tobacco Control Workshop.
Dr Fenton Howell
NationalTobacco Control Advisor
Tobacco and Alcohol Control Unit
Department of Health, Dublin.
Tobacco Free Ireland 2025

2. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
“In Ireland a tobacco free society will
mean the achievement of a smoking
prevalence rate of less than 5% of
the Irish population by 2025”
Tobacco Free Ireland

3. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025

4. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Tobacco Free Ireland: Key messages
 A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing
 Prevention is paramount
 Multi-faceted approach needed
 Population and risk based approached
 Children a priority
 Denormalisation of tobacco use
 WHO FCTC and MPOWER model
 Regulate the tobacco retail environment
 Build and maintain compliance with legislation

5. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Building on progress:
 Towards a Tobacco Free Society (2000)
 Smokefree workplace legislation 29th March 2004
 1st country in the world
 Point of sale advertising ban (2009)
 1st country in EU
 Graphic warnings on tobacco products (2012)
 HSE Tobacco Control Framework e.g. (2010)
 Tobacco Free Campus
 Social Marketing QUIT Campaign
 Brief Intervention Training Programme
 National Tobacco Control Inspection Programme

6. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Smoking prevalence: adults, improving
but unacceptable
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Jun-03
Dec-03
Jun-04
Dec-04
Jun-05
Dec-05
Jun-06
Dec-06
Jun-07
Dec-07
Jun-08
Dec-08
Jun-09
Dec-09
Jun-10
Dec-10
Jun-11
Dec-11
Jun-12
Dec-12
Male
Female
Overall Prevalence
Survey of Lifestyle,Attitudes and Nutrition (SLAN) 2007 – 29%
Office ofTobacco Control OmnibusTracker Survey 2007 - 28%
Office ofTobacco Control OmnibusTracker Survey 2012 - 22%

7. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Smoking prevalence: children,
improving but unacceptable
 HBSC
 ESPAD
Smoking prevalence
15 year olds 1998 2010
Ireland 33% 17% ( 50%)
HBSC average 33% 24% ( 28%)
Lifetime use of tobacco
15 year olds 1999 2011
Ireland 73% 43% ( 41%)
ESPAD average 69% 54% ( 28%)

8. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Consequences of tobacco use
11 IN EVERY 2 CHILDREN WHO SMOKE
A CIGARETTE WILL BECOME A SMOKER1
2
11 IN EVERY 2 SMOKERS WILL DIE
OF A TOBACCO RELATED DISEASE2
2
1 DiFranza et al. The Natural History and Diagnosis of Nicotine Addiction. Current Periodic
Reviews, 2011,7, 88-96
2 Doll et al. Mortality in relation to smoking: 40 years observations on male British doctors.
British Medical Journal 1994; 309:901-911).

9. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Smoke Free Environments
 Prohibit smoking in primary and secondary school
campuses and on childcare campuses
 Promote smoke free campuses for healthcare facilities,
third level institutions and major sporting stadia
 Promote tobacco free playgrounds, parks and beaches
 Prohibit smoking in cars where children are present*

10. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025

11. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Tobacco retail*
 Licensing system for retailers
 Prohibit sales of tobacco by those under 18
 Prohibit tobacco sales at events where audience under 18
 Prohibit self-service vending and mobile units
 On the spot fines/minimum period of suspension
 Name and shame
 Strengthen enforcement by HSE

12. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Tobacco marketing
 Standardised packaging*
 Defend point of sale
measures
 Monitor brand stretching
 Minimise portrayal of
smoking in entertainment
sector
 Implement Tobacco
Products Directive

13. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Enforcement
 Enhance National Tobacco Control Inspection Programme
 Smokefree
 Point of sale
 Sales to minors
 Graphic warnings
 Stealth marketing
 Build further investigative and enforcement capacity
within HSE
 Ensure existing legislation fit for purpose

14. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Smoking cessation
 Co-ordinate smoking cessation
 Evidence based guidelines
 Target key risk groups
 Train frontline health care
workers in smoking cessation
 Regulatory framework for
nicotine products
 Invest in mass/social media

15. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Other measures
 Partnership, national and international
 Fiscal – DOH, DOF and Revenue
 Examine possibility of an environmental levy
 Sign and implement the FCTC illicit trade protocol
 Protect public health policies from tobacco industry and
vested interest (WHO FCTC 5.3)
 Active national and international research and surveillance
on tobacco use
 Supply and demand

16. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025
Tobacco Free Ireland
 Not going alone
 Bhutan 2004, New Zealand 2025
 Scotland 2034, Canada 2035, Finland 2040
 Some already there
 HSE 2012 Staff Smoking survey 15%
 Medical/Dental Staff- 4% (45% in 1967!)
 Health and Social Care Staff – 9%
 Nursing Staff -11%
 Other Staff – 18%

17. Tobacco Free Ireland 2025