Drop in Tobacco Sales is Good for Health and Economy

Date: 26 November 2004

ASH Ireland welcomes a 17.6% drop in tobacco sales as announced yesterday. This is excellence health news and also good news for the economy. This announcement yesterday is further proof that recent initiatives and leadership taken by the Government in the fight against tobacco are working.

The announcement yesterday also indicated a potential drop in the Government’s Revenue Income from tobacco sales. This figure will, of course, be immediately cancelled by the proportionate and inevitable reduction in the health spend on tobacco related diseases.

The main reason tobacco revenue has fallen is directly related to the failure of Government to raise tobacco prices in recent years. ASH Ireland wants the Government to put a 2 Euro increase on a pack of 20 cigarettes and related products in next week’s budget. The cost of tobacco in Ireland is significantly below that in the UK and this is leading to smuggling of tobacco between the jurisdictions.

Most importantly tobacco prices is well established international as the most effective intervention in encouraging smokers to quit and discouraging young people from experimenting with tobacco.