Third of Irish smokers light up around children, EU survey finds

IRELAND’S smokers are among the most inconsiderate in the EU with up to a third smoking around young children and pregnant women.

They are also among the most hopeless when it comes to kicking the habit, with four in 10 saying they tried and failed in the past year.

At the same time, support for the ban on smoking in bars and restaurants is increasing among Irish people, three years after it was introduced.

The information comes from an EU-wide survey into attitudes towards smoking and the habits of smokers commissioned to mark World No Tobacco Day on May 31.

Close to three in 10 Irish people smoke with more than a third of these smoking 20 cigarettes a day.

More than the EU average is aware that passive smoking is dangerous. Almost three-quarters know it can cause cancer and other serious ailments while a fifth believed the main objection was “discomfort.”

But despite this, most said they smoke at home, even when there are non-smokers present. A third light up in front of children while more than a quarter say they smoke in the presence of pregnant women.

More Irish smoke in their cars than the EU average. Almost a third say they do even when there are non-smokers travelling with them. One-in-10 smoke with children in the car and 7% with a pregnant woman.

A little more than half the population say they never smoked while 18% used to, but have given up.

But in the last year, 40% of Irish smokers tried to give up and failed — many for the 10th time. Many of them lasted less than a week while 20% went back after more than two months.

Most said they could not cope with the cravings, other said they missed the habit and didn’t know what to do with their hands while others said they found it too stressful.

Over one in 10 took up smoking again because they were putting on weight — the third highest in this category in the EU.