Mothers need help to kick habit

SHOCK statistics showing that 56 babies may be dying in this country each year because their mothers smoke are a grim reminder of the lethal nature of cigarettes.

This tragic figure is contained in an ESRI report which found that maternal smoking can cause cot deaths and other forms of infant fatality. Low birthweight is another side effect of the smoking habit.

Astonishingly, the study estimates that Irish people spend a whopping 1,869m on cigarettes annually.