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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Mar 1968

Vol. 233 No. 10

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cigarette Advertising.

40.

asked the Minister for Health if, in view of a recent statement from the Irish Heart Foundation that 75 per cent of sudden deaths of persons under age of 65 would be eliminated if cigarette smoking was eliminated, he will take steps to remove the advertising of cigarettes from television and other media.

I cannot trace anywhere, attributed to the Irish Heart Foundation, the statement upon which the Deputy's question is based.

It is in the current number of the Irish Medical Journal.

However, I take it that his question is prompted by concern about the hazard to health which cigarette smoking represents. I share that concern but I do not think it is realistic to suggest that advertising of cigarettes on all media should now be prohibited.

There was a photograph of the late Minister for Education, Deputy Donogh O'Malley, on the front page.

Would the Minister not agree that the present form of brainwashing on television is responsible for increased smoking? Is he aware that one company recently announced a turnover of £60 million for cigarettes and said that this was an increase over the previous year? It was indirectly implied that this was due to television advertising.

I made certain approaches in regard to this difficult and complex matter. There is a good deal of revenue involved for RTE, the Minister for Finance and so on. What is really disappointing about all this is that the younger people who we are all anxious to prevent from acquiring the habit, appear to be starting to smoke earlier than in my time. I began to smoke when I was about 12 and I believe they are starting to smoke now at about eight. This is very disappointing and I wish parents and teachers especially would make a serious effort to drive home to the children the undesirability of acquiring the smoking habit.

It is very difficult, in view of the massive television advertising. The Minister's suggestion that the advertising be confined to later hours is a sensible one if it could be implemented.

I cannot say any more about that at present.

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