asked the Minister for Health if he will place a ban on all advertising of cigarettes and alcoholic drinks.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cigarette and Alcohol Advertisements.
25.
As I indicated in reply to a similar question from Deputy O'Connell on 13th October, I am considering, at present, as part of my examination of the area of preventive medicine and health education generally, various initiatives for the more effective control of the advertising of cigarettes and alcoholic drinks. I am aiming to intensify the anti-smoking activities of my Department and one of my objectives will be to create a climate of opinion in the community towards smoking which will remove any possible aspect of glamour or sophistication from it. It is clearly desirable in the circumstances to try to reduce the pressures of advertising on people and I will be seeking the co-operation of the tobacco industry in the near future in regard to this.
Since the mid-1950s Ministers have been tinkering with this question of the relationship between bronchitis, cancer, heart disease and cigarette smoking. The relationship is no longer in doubt now but is the Minister not still tinkering with the question? In the past there may have been some justification for doubt but the Minister has no such justification today. He has no justification for not banning all cigarette advertisements and all encouragement to young people to start smoking when he knows nicotine is a very dangerous drug. It is a dangerous drug. The Minister must agree with that.
That is a statement.
I have no intention of tinkering with the problem, as the Deputy suggests. If he will be patient and wait for a matter of some weeks he will be reasonably satisfied with the steps I shall propose.
I am very glad to hear that statement and I hope——
The Deputy must not appoint himself my conscience. I have my own.
The Minister would need to have one.
I am too busy to appoint myself the Minister's conscience, but would the Minister not agree that in recent weeks there has been a very provocative increase in the amount of advertising in the national newspapers—indeed, an extraordinary increase?
I understand that arises from a change in the taxation system, but it is a matter I intend to deal with very shortly.