CHILDREN are starting to smoke before they leave primary school because of inadequate Government protection from tobacco advertising in shops, teachers have claimed.

WITH the deaths of millions of people on its conscience, the tobacco industry stands accused of using cigarette advertising in shops and family-rated Hollywood films to target children.

MORE than 50 Irish children need to start smoking every day of the year if the tobacco industry is to maintain the size of its customer base in Ireland, an international expert has warned.

The tobacco industry is using cigarette advertising in shops and PG-rated Hollywood films to deliberately target children, a leading expert claimed today.