ASH IRELAND WANT €2 PRICE HIKE ON TOBACCO PRODUCTS

1st November 2006.

ASH Ireland to Demand Major Price Rise on Tobacco ASH meet Chair of Oireachtas Committee Deputy John Moloney and Vice Chair Dr Jimmy Devins TD A delegation from ASH Ireland will meet with the Chairperson and Vice-chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children later today – to seek a major increase in the duty of cigarettes in the December budget. The Government has refused to increase the price of tobacco products in the past two budgets. Recently ASH Ireland made a detailed submission to the Minister for Finance outlining the irrefutable justification for a significant price increase. ASH has the support of several other ‘health sector’ groups in seeking at least a €2 increase in the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes and related products.

Professor Luke Clancy, Chairman of ASH Ireland said today, “Later today I will impress on the Chair of Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children the absolute necessity to increase tobacco prices – if we are to offset an inevitable increase in smoking prevalence.

Price increase is accepted internationally as the most effective means of encouraging smokers to quit and discouraging young people from experimenting with tobacco.” Professor Clancy went on to say, “The government set a target of achieving ‘a tobacco free society’ and in this context they introduced the workplace smoking legislation commonly referred to as ‘the smoking ban’. We have made so much progress in the fight against tobacco – our biggest single risk to the national health -and yet our Government fails to take a key decision on price – which can make a real and sustainable difference”.

ENDS Further information: Wally Young, Young Communications, 01 668 0530, 087 247 1520 Professor Luke Clancy, 086 8364337 ASH Ireland is fully funded by the Irish Cancer Society and Irish Heart Foundation.