Minimum smoking age to rise to 21 under proposed new legislation
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Landmark legislation to increase the minimum smoking age from 18 to 21 is to be brought to Cabinet this week.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will seek approval to raise the minimum legal age of sale for tobacco products in a bid to reduce smoking.
Data shows that those aged 18 to 21 are at high risk of becoming smokers.
The new law aims to limit the social sources of cigarettes for under 18s as they will be less likely to be in social groups with people who can legally purchase cigarettes.
The bill will be designed so that it does not affect those who are between the ages of 18 and 21 and who are currently legally entitled to be sold tobacco products.
The prohibition on the retail sale of tobacco products will not apply to this cohort for a “wash through” period.
Although smoking in Ireland has decreased, the rate plateaued in recent years and 18% of Irish adults currently smoke.
The Government’s Healthy Ireland survey found that in 2023, 14% were daily smokers and 4% occasional smokers.
These figures are the same as those reported in 2021 to 2022.
Tobacco causes approximately 4,500 deaths each year in Ireland from smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke.
Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke also cause an enormous range of preventable illness and disability including 16 types of cancers, respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular diseases including aneurysms, coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease and stroke, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and dementia.
The Irish Heart Foundation conducted a poll in November 2021 and found that 73% of all adults and 71% of all those aged 18 to 24 supported raising the legal age to purchase tobacco to 21.
A 2022 IPSOS MRBI poll carried out by the HSE also found that 71% agreed the Government should raise the legal age for the purchase of tobacco products to 21.
Other countries have already raised the legal smoking age as have states in the US and provinces in Canada.
Mr Donnelly previously banned selling vapes to children — under 18s cannot legally buy them since December 2023.
The minister has also commenced further sections of that act, so that from September, advertising of nicotine-inhaling products on public transport and near schools will be curbed, and the sale of tobacco at events attended by children will be banned.
A ban on the sale of tobacco and vape products from vending machines is also to be enacted shortly, while a new licensing regime will mean all shops selling these products will have to pay an annual licence.
A second piece of legislation is also being drafted to address issues such as the thousands of flavours of vapes, the bright colours of the packaging, restricting point of sale promotion and a ban on disposable vapes.