Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 19 Jun 2001

Vol. 538 No. 3

Written Answers. - Tobacco Products.

Rory O'Hanlon

Ceist:

235 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health and Children when new legislation and regulations on the production, sale and advertising of tobacco products will be introduced; the changes this will being about vis-à-vis Irish legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18022/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The heads and general scheme of a public health and tobacco Bill, as approved by the Government on 27 February 2001, were forwarded to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government on 2 March for completion of draft ing. I hope to be in a position to publish the Bill soon.

The principal changes from legislation currently in place will be the banning of sales of packets of cigarettes of less than 20, the registration of premises selling tobacco products, stronger powers of enforcement for officials implementing the law in this area, the ending of instore advertising of tobacco products, a requirement by the tobacco industry to provide detailed information on the composition of tobacco products and the establishment of the office of tobacco control on a statutory basis.

The Bill is a clear indication of the Government's intention that a new and determined response is being mounted against smoking with the ultimate aim of a tobacco free society.

Rory O'Hanlon

Ceist:

236 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of deaths and the number of admissions to hospital as a result of the use of tobacco products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18023/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Consumption of tobacco increases the risk of mortality and morbidity from a wide range of illnesses. These include cancers, diseases of the heart and circulatory system and respiratory conditions.

Estimated figures on the number of deaths from smoking are provided in the publication "Mortality from Smoking in Developed Countries 1950-2000" by Richard Peto and others. The most recent year available in this publication is 1995 and it indicates that an estimated 20% of deaths, that is, 5,881 persons, in Ireland in that year were due to smoking. This estimate is based on an indirect method which uses the results of epidemiological studies of mortality in smokers versus non-smokers in the United States to assign proportions of total mortality due to tobacco for each relevant cause of death.

Similar proportions are not available for morbidity and it is therefore not possible to estimate with any precision the share of hospitalisations due to smoking. The following table sets out the numbers of hospital discharges for conditions regarded as smoking related. Caution should be exercised in the interpretation of these figures since they include all in-patient hospitalisation from the specified illnesses irrespective of whether they were due to smoking. It should also be noted that persons admitted to hospital more than once in a given year for a particular illness will be counted separately in the statistics for each episode. This information is collected through the hospital in-patient inquiry, HIPE, system which covers all publicly funded acute hospitals.

Discharges from Publicly Funded Acute Hospitals for Conditions Regarded as Smoking Related, 1999.

Condition	Number ofDischarges
Ischaemic Heart Disease	17,520
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease	15,038
Cerebrovascular Disease	9,407
Arterial Disease	3,536
Cancer of Trachea, Bronchus and Lung	2,431
Hypertensive Disease	2,322
Peptic Ulcer	1,973
Upper Aero-Digestive Cancer*	1,833
Cancer of the Bladder and Kidney	1,606
Disease of Pulmonary Circulation	1,002
Cancer of the Pancreas	502
Total	57,170

*Includes Cancers of Mouth, Oesophagus, Pharynx and Larynx.

Source: Hospital In-Patient Enquiry.

Rory O'Hanlon

Ceist:

237 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health and Children the percentage of men and women who smoke cigarettes here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18024/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The "Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition", SLÁN, and "Irish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children", HBSC, survey provides data on the percentage of cigarette smokers by gender and age. In general the prevalence of smoking is slightly higher among males, 32%, than females, 31%, and when further categorised by age the youngest female age group, 18 to 34 years, exhibited a significantly high rate of 40%. Overall these findings are similar to patterns in UK based health and lifestyle surveys.

To address the prevalence of smoking in this country, the health promotion unit of my Department supports an extensive range of anti-smoking initiatives. The current anti-smoking campaign "Break the Habit for Good" emphasises the positive effect quitting smoking can have on the individual and was launched in December 1998. The campaign involves national and local initiatives which offer support for those people wishing to give up smoking. The campaign was developed in conjunction with the Irish Cancer Society and the health boards.

An additional element of this campaign has been developed to target the growing numbers of female teenagers who continue to take up smoking. While it is part of the "Break the Habit For Good" programme, it is a specific initiative designed with a special focus. The campaign concentrates on issues which are more immediately important to young women such as their physical well-being. The simple message of this campaign is that smokers are less attractive and it uses a range of ‘anti-cosmetics' presented by a character called "Nico", who highlights the negative effects smoking can have on physical appearance, for example, yellowed teeth and wrinkled skin. The "Nico" campaign uses TV, radio and outdoor advertising to highlight the unappealing aspects of smoking. Both of these campaigns are ongoing.

Rory O'Hanlon

Ceist:

238 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans he has to reduce the use of tobacco products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18025/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Tobacco use and in particular cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable illness in the country. Tobacco is a significant burden on individuals, families and society through death, illness and medical costs. Our success in improving the health status of the nation is linked to reducing further the level of tobacco usage and in particular preventing young persons from starting to smoke. If the increase in tobacco use by young persons can be reversed we can make considerable progress towards a tobacco free society.

The priorities of Government policy in this area are outlined in reports such as "Towards a Tobacco Free Society", "Building Healthier Hearts" and the Health Promotion Strategy, 2000-2005. Anti-smoking campaigns and initiatives are by far the most important single-dimensional programme in our health promotion unit's schedule. The following are some of the initiatives under way at present.

The most recent anti-smoking campaign "Break the Habit for Good" was launched in association with the Irish Cancer Society and the health boards. This campaign takes a slightly different approach to previous campaigns and emphasises the positive effects which quitting smoking can have on the individual. The campaign involves national and local initiatives, which offers support for those people wishing to give up smoking. The budget for anti smoking initiatives for 2000 was £1.276 million and £1.5 million in 2001.

The Nico campaign was developed in 2000 as part of the "Break the Habit for Good" campaign to target the growing number of young teenage girls, particularly in social class 5 and 6, who are smoking or who are starting to smoke. This anti-smoking campaign targets young females and emphasises the negative effects smoking can have on physical appearance, for example, stained teeth and wrinkled skin – the storyline is there is nothing sexy about smoking. The media used are TV, radio, outdoor and newspaper advertising. Television is a proven useful resource in accessing young people. Strategically located outdoor sites – such as those adjacent to schools and colleges complement the TV and radio ads.

Broad based public awareness campaigns can be successful but the best prospect of reducing the number of people, especially young people, from stopping smoking or not starting is a targeted approach. In this regard, initiatives such as the social, personal and health education, SPHE, programme are particularly important. Since September 2000 an SPHE programme is offered at junior cycle level, to post primary schools nation wide through a partnership between my Department, regional health boards and the Department of Education and Science.

Social, personal and health education is a broad based health education programme which aims to enhance the self-esteem and decision making skills of young people using experiential learning methodologies. The implementation of this programme will ensure that there is a co-ordinated approach between health boards and the Department of Education and Science at regional level in a way that has never formally existed before. The Department of Health and Children is fully committed to ensuring that this process is a success and that a secure place will be established for health education within the school system to complement the work that has already taken place in many health boards.

I recognise the importance of the out of school setting for delivering health messages to young people. The Department of Health and Children has again teamed with the Department of Education and Science and also with the National Youth Council of Ireland to provide a wide range of health promotion training for the youth sector through the national youth health programme. This programme aims to promote the notion of a health promotion youth service thereby ensuring that the messages young people receive in school are mirrored elsewhere.

In March of last year I launched the report "Towards a Tobacco Free Society" and following on from that a number of recommendations have been implemented.

Significant steps were taken in July of last year when tobacco advertising, other than limited retail and trade advertising, was ended. Sponsorship by tobacco companies was also ended. Banning tobacco advertising has the effect of reducing the numbers of people, particularly young people, taking up smoking.

An EU wide ban on all forms of advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products is necessary if we are to reduce children's inducement to tobacco products. I was very disappointed that the EU directive banning tobacco advertising and sponsorship was annulled by the European Court of Justice last October. However, I have indicated our total support to the EU for a new directive which was recently announced by Commissioner Byrne.

We must stop the predatory marketing practices of the tobacco industry to ensure that today's children will not be the future victims of the tobacco epidemic. The office of tobacco control will have an important role to play in monitoring the activities of the tobacco industry in this area and in commissioning research into the marketing practices of the industry. The office will be established on a statutory basis in the new Public Health and Tobacco Bill being drafted.

Following the ending of sponsorship of events and activities by tobacco companies last year I provided funding for sponsorship of the Irish Masters Snooker Tournament in 2001 totalling £200,000. A similar amount will be provided in 2002 and 2003. Health sponsorship of this prestigious international event will further highlight the healthy anti-smoking message and promote a tobacco free society. The extensive television coverage of the event involving many well known young snooker stars brought home to viewers, especially young people, the positive aspects of not taking up smoking and of quitting smoking. The message is consistent with Government approved health policy on tobacco and health.

Additional resources totalling £1 million have been made available to health boards this year to recruit additional staff to improve enforcement and compliance with the law in the area of tobacco control. I have made nicotine replacement therapy available to all medical card holders who smoke since 1 April this year.

The age limit for sale of tobacco products to young persons has recently been raised from 16 years to 18 years of age and the maximum fine for persons convicted of selling tobacco products to under-age persons has been raised from £500 to £2,000 on foot of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2001. This will act as a further deterrent to retailers.

I am concerned over passive smoking and I will introduce new measures to provide for increased protection for persons from environmental tobacco smoke. The new Public Health and Tobacco Bill will introduce a range of measures to further the recommendations contained in the report "Towards a Tobacco Free Society" launched with Government approval last year. These measures will include prohibiting sale of cigarettes in packets of less than 20, ending of instore advertising and promotions which are directed largely at underage persons and registration of all tobacco retail outlets.

A new tobacco research function will be established soon which will support the development of a tobacco free society. The main aims of this initiative will be to promote and develop academic excellence in tobacco and health studies and advance public health largely through research into tobacco marketing. The office of tobacco control will be closely involved in this initiative.

A new EU directive was adopted by the European Parliament on 15 May this year on the sale, marketing and manufacturing of tobacco products. The directive sets out rules based on scientific advice on key issues such as additives, addictive substances, health warnings and misleading claims evidence. Transposition and implementation of the directivevia national law will further advise and warn consumers and third parties of the dangers to health of smoking.

Public health success in reducing tobacco use requires activity on all fronts. When we have these additional legislative measures in place and the office of tobacco control is placed on a statutory footing and with the additional resources being made available for health promotion activi ties, research and enforcement activities, I believe that there will be a reduction in use of tobacco products.