Irish Cancer Society: Standardised packaging is a ‘milestone to tobacco-free Ireland’

The enforcement of standardised tobacco packaging is “another significant milestone” towards having a tobacco-free Ireland by 2025, the Irish Cancer Society said yesterday.

Donal Buggy, head of services and advocacy for the Irish Cancer Society, said it had taken real “political leadership” to see this through, and credit must also go to former Health Minister James Reilly who spearheaded this legislation.

Mr Buggy said there was evidence that standardised tobacco packaging, together with increases in excise duties, had reduced the smoking rate in Australia to 12.8%, compared to the 19% rate in Ireland.