Harney in favour of ban on smoking in private cars

MINISTER FOR Health and Children Mary Harney has indicated that she is in favour of a ban on smoking in private cars.

The ban was first mooted by the anti-smoking lobby Ash Ireland on the basis that cigarette smoking while driving is distracting, in the same way use of mobile phones is.

They also presented research last month which suggested that the air in smoky cars is 11 times worse than it was in the smokiest pubs before the ban, and that this atmosphere is particularly toxic for children.

Speaking at a major international conference on smoking in Dublin’s Mansion House yesterday, Ms Harney said she was interested in hearing the arguments in favour of such a ban.

“I’m in favour of doing anything as Minister for Health if it is in the interests of public health as far as the consumption of tobacco is concerned. Clearly in the context of any of the advice that we receive, I’m open to anything that would help denormalise tobacco consumption. Fifty per cent of those that smoke die from smoking. It takes 15 to 20 years off the life of a smoker.”

New research carried out by Pfizer Healthcare Ireland, which was presented at the conference, indicates a willingness on the part of the public for more stringent laws in relation to tobacco control.

More than half (57 per cent) of those surveyed were in favour of a ban in the car and at home.

The research by Pfizer was carried out by two marketing research companies and involved 1,004 adults nationwide.

Eighty-three per cent were in favour of on-pack warnings, 82 per cent want the display of tobacco products in shops to be stopped and 73 per cent are in favour of a price hike to discourage smoking.

Ms Harney said the legislation in relation to stopping over-the-counter displays of tobacco products is “imminent”.

She revealed she was in favour of revisiting the issue of a major hike through taxation in cigarette prices. It was discussed before the last Budget with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, but not implemented because of fears that it would feed into the consumer price index and wage demands.

“They made the point that their members would want their pay demands to reflect the consumer price index. I’d like to see that matter addressed again because from a public health perspective, the evidence is compelling that high prices do discourage consumption,” she said.

The conference also showed graphic images which will be displayed on cigarette packets and will go on public display tomorrow.

The images show the effects of a smoking-related tumour on the throat of a man, rotten teeth and effects of smoking on lungs.

Fourteen images in total have been chosen by a panel from the Department of Health and Children and the Office of Tobacco Control to be displayed on cigarette packets.

The law will ensure that the photographs must take up at least 30 per cent of the front of the packet and 40 per cent of the back.

Such images are mandatory in several countries, including Belgium and Uruguay.

Luk Joossens, from the Association of European Cancer Leagues, Brussels, said international research showed that such images do act as a potent deterrent to smokers, with 44 per cent of Canadian smokers who quit saying that such warnings helped motivate them to stop. “The use of pictorial images are an essential component of a comprehensive tobacco control programme,” he said.