Half of smokers die young, launch told

ANTI-SMOKING campaigner Professor Luke Clancy yesterday told a conference that half of all young people starting to smoke today will eventually die due to cigarettes.

A major EU-wide anti-smoking campaign was launched in Dublin to target teens, women and young adults.

Health Minister Mary Harney said the four-year initiative, HELP - For A Life Without Tobacco, is the first of its kind to run across all 25 EU member states.

The campaign - which will concentrate on smoking prevention, smoking cessation, and the dangers of passive smoking - is aimed primarily at 13-17 year olds and 18-30 year olds.

“Half of the young people starting to smoke now can expect to die from their addiction,” Prof Clancy told yesterday’s launch.

“On average, they lose 15 years of their life, and suffer many more years of serious ill health before they die,” said the respiratory consultant.

Welcoming the campaign, Ms Harney said: “It complements the various campaigns and policies that the Government and health agencies have already undertaken.”

“It’s particularly timely that it is being launched on the anniversary of the workplace smoking ban in Ireland.”

The public awareness and assistance campaign is being directed by the European Commission’s Health and Consumers Directorate.

Tobacco accounts for over 650,000 deaths each year in the 25 EU member states - the single largest cause of death.

The first year of the campaign will involve a roadshow, media advertising, an information website (www.help-eu.com) and a series of promotional events including an EU young people’s consultative body to discuss tobacco-free lifestyles.

The campaign will link each EU member state’s anti-smoking organisations through the 530-member European Network for Smoking Prevention (ENSP).

Yesterday’s launch was attended by all the major health promotion agencies involved in combating tobacco, including the Office of Tobacco Control, Irish Cancer Society, Irish Heart Foundation and ASH along with the Department of Health & Children’s own Health Promotion Unit.

Meanwhile the Vintners Federation of Ireland yesterday claimed turnover in pubs is down by 20-30%, with 26 pubs in Co Clare closing down in the 12 months since the smoking ban.

The grim reality behind the smoking ban is the closure of public houses and job losses, publicans claimed.

The VFI said a compromise must be found on the “so-called successful” blanket ban against smoking in public houses.

“On behalf of our 6,000 members we continue to seek some form of compromise on the blanket ban where both smokers and non-smokers alike can be accommodated,” VFI president Seamus O’Donoghue said.

Mr O’Donoghue said rural pubs have been worst affected by the legislation on smoking in the workplace, which came into place a year ago yesterday.

However, the anti-smoking group, ASH Ireland, said the general support for the health initiative was extremely high, even among smokers, and has increased over the past 12 months.