WHO official seeks stronger tobacco-control measures

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is calling on the Irish authorities to implement stronger tobacco-control policies in order to do more to reduce smoking.

Despite the smoking ban introduced in 2005, almost one-third of the Irish population continues to smoke and 6,000 people die from smoking-related illnesses every year.

Dr Douglas Bettcher, the director of the Tobacco Free Initiative at the WHO, is in Ireland today to give a lecture on tobacco control.

He is proposing the adoption of six new policies, including the further raising of taxes on cigarettes after the recent 50c rise and the printing of graphic picture-warnings on cigarette packs.