ASH Ireland Budget Statement

Date: 01 December 2004

ASH Ireland is bitterly disappointed with the zero increase in the price of tobacco in today’s budget statement. This is a retrograde step by the Government in its stated policy of creating a tobacco free society. ASH sought a two-euro increase on a pack of twenty cigarettes and related products. A situation now exists where tobacco prices are considerably lower than in the UK and this is not justifiable. Fears of inflation increases do not justify this ongoing minimalist approach to tobacco price increases.
Professor Luke Clancy, Chairman of ASH Ireland said today, "Price increase is established internationally as the single most important factor in encouraging smokers to quit and discouraging young people from experimenting with tobacco. Nicotine addiction is a scourge on society and people in all sectors require every assistance possible in confronting this addiction"

Immense strides have been made by the Government to reduce the impact of tobacco on Irish society. It is imperative that price, a major contributor to the reduction of smoking levels across all sectors of society, will continue to be used. Reduced smoking levels will have an immediate and long-term impact on our health budget – as regrettably thousands of people are occupying hospital beds and visiting clinics every day because of the effects of smoking.