The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland was proud to join public health, patient representative, professional representative, and youth groups from across the island of Ireland in Dublin city centre on Wednesday, 11 November to launch the Smokefree Generation Alliance.
The Alliance, made up of over twenty organisations, have come together to call on the Irish Government to follow the United Kingdom and pass legislation to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, creating a smokefree generation across the island of Ireland.
They were joined by Fine Gael TD Colm Burke and Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne who supported the Alliance and the cause of a smokefree generation.
In the UK, children born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be legally allowed to purchase tobacco. Effectively meaning that the legal age of sale of tobacco products in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is set to increase every year from 2027 onwards.
Although the legal age of sale of tobacco products in the Republic of Ireland will increase to 21 on 1 February 2028, the legal age in Northern Ireland will increase to 22 by 2030, risking a misalignment across the island of Ireland.
The Smokefree Generation Alliance was established to advocate for Ireland to follow the UK and prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after the 1st of January 2009. The Alliance is unique with health groups from across the island of Ireland speaking with voice. Calling on the Irish Government to begin planning for the implementation of smokefree generation legislation.
Every year, over 4,500 people in Ireland die prematurely from the effects of tobacco-related disease, while another 2,000 people die from smoking annually in Northern Ireland. Tobacco use causes devastating harm across the island of Ireland, regardless of jurisdiction or background.
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, as members of the Smokefree Generation Alliance, believes there is a unique opportunity to rid tobacco harm from our society and truly create a smoke-free future. Realising this future would be utterly transformational for public health and healthcare across this island.
Our members and fellows, who witness the harm of tobacco products on the frontlines of patient care every day, have been clear and united on this issue and we are calling on the Irish Government to begin planning for this legislation today.
Attendees at the launch heard from a range of speakers including Deputy Colm Burke and Deputy Malcolm Byrne on the political significance of a smokefree generation; Dr Helen McAvoy from the Institute of Public Health on the all-island nature of the legislation; Dr Paul Kavanagh, Chair of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland's Clinical Advisory Group on Smoking and E-cigarettes, and Dr Emmet O’Brien, chair of ASH Ireland, Council of the Irish Heart Foundation, on the health impact of such legislation, and Mark Murphy of the Irish Heart Foundation who presented the members of the Smokefree Generation Alliance.
Organisations interested in joining the Smokefree Generation Alliance are invited to get in touch by email.