Number of heavy smokers 'on the rise'

The number of heavy smokers in Ireland has leapt by 10% in the last two years, a survey found today.

Nearly two thirds of smokers puff on more than 15 cigarettes a day, despite new Government plans to cut the number of nicotine addicts.

The study, by Nicorette, also showed that the number of smokers citing price rises as a reason for giving up the habit had dropped to 44% from 58% the previous year.

Prof Luke Clancy, consultant respiratory physician, at St James’s Hospital in Dublin said this was because 50p was added to the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes in 2000 but there was no such rise in 2001.

‘‘All the evidence shows that if you increase the price of cigarettes, smokers will smoke less, more smokers will try to quit and fewer teenagers will start to smoke,’’ he said.

It was discovered that 62% of smokers indulged their habit more than 15 times a day, putting them in the ‘‘heavy smoker’’ category.

But at the same time 37% of smokers said they were prevented from smoking at least once a day by regulations - up from 25% in 1997.

The Health Minister Micheal Martin recently announced fresh plans to impose more regulations - including a bill which could ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

He has spearheaded a campaign against smoking, which recently saw the legal age rise to 18.

Other proposals include a wide-ranging ban on tobacco advertising.

The biggest reason given for giving up the habit remained health - there are 6,000 smoking-related deaths every year in Ireland from a population of around four million.