asked the Minister for Health if he is aware of statistics published by the British Medical Research Council and the American Journal of Public Health relating to decreased cancer occurrence parallel to decreased cigarette consumption; and, if so, if he will state in the light of this and other evidence, what steps he proposes to take to eliminate cigarette advertising by (a) RTE, (b) the public press and (c) other means.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cigarette Advertising.
104.
I presume that the statistics referred to by the Deputy relate to a decrease in mortality from lung cancer noted in doctors who had, as a group, reduced appreciably their consumption of cigarettes since the hazard to health from smoking cigarettes became known.
On the question of advertising, Radio Telefís Éireann have given a commendable lead by their decision to phase out, over a period, all advertisements for cigarettes on television. This is a responsible decision which I fully endorse.
It is not my present policy to impose statutory restrictions on the advertising of cigarettes in the public press or by other means. I still stand by the policy of education rather than compulsion but I am keeping the entire position under review.
I did not hear what the Minister proposed to do about the advertising on television.
That has already been referred to on television and has been dealt with because they are about to phase out the advertising of cigarettes on television progressively over a period. They are going to eliminate it.
They are?
Yes, they made that announcement themselves.
It is a very good thing to hear that because it would seem ludicrous to have an educational programme and this massive advertising nullifying each other.
It would result in the loss of £380,000 advertising revenue to RTE.
A Deputy
They will get it on cosmetics.
Probably they would be harmful too.