Tobacco companies 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.

Every year in Ireland the tobacco industry loses more than 8,000 of its customers due to quitting and a further 5,700 due to smoking-produced death. Several thousand smokers also die of other causes.

“For every smoker who dies or quits, the industry needs a ‘replacement smoker’ — a child who will become addicted and replenish the base of long-term smokers,” said Prof Ken Warner.