Medical card-holders not to get anti-smoking aids despite survey

The Department of Health has refused to make nicotine replacement products available to medical card-holders under the General Medical Services Scheme. An Irish Cancer Society survey has shown smoking is most common in lower socio-economic groups.

The survey, carried out by Irish Marketing Surveys, reveals 36 per cent of people in the lowest socio-economic group smoke, compared with 22 per cent for the rest of the population.

The survey results, released on the eve of today's Irish Cancer Society "National No Smoking Day", also show women are more likely to smoke than men.

According to Mr Barry Dempsey, chief executive of the Irish Cancer Society, one Irish person dies every six hours from lung cancers - 90 per cent of which are due to smoking.

The society also revealed that its new "National Quitline" received more than 500 calls in January.

The survey results brought an immediate call from Dr Fenton Howell, a public health specialist with the North Eastern Health Board and a member of the antismoking campaign ASH, for nicotine replacement products, such as gum and patches, to be provided free to medical card-holders.

But the Department of Health said yesterday it had no plans to accede to the request. In a statement, the Department said nicotine replacement products did not belong to the category of products which could satisfy the criteria for inclusion in the scheme.

The Department instead pointed to its annual anti-smoking campaign. This year's scheme, launched in January and called "Break the Habit for Good", has been developed in co-operation with the Irish Cancer Society, the statement said.

The survey found that adults who claimed they never smoked were more likely to be under 25 and from a middle class or farming background.

This category accounted for one in two, or 50 per cent of those surveyed, while a further 18 per cent had given up smoking. This latter group was likely to comprise males aged more than 50.

Almost one in three respondents, 32 per cent, described themselves as smokers. The survey found that smokers were now more likely to be female, to be aged between 35 and 49, to be from a "blue collar" background and to live in Dublin.

While almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of former smokers cited health as the most important reason for giving up, the cost of cigarettes was accepted as a major factor among those considering giving up.

The survey found that over half of respondents (52 per cent) would consider cutting down if the price of a pack of cigarettes was £4. But almost the same proportion said they would only consider stopping if the price was increased to £4.50.

Surprisingly, just one in four non-smokers mentioned a dislike of the smell of stale smoke.

Commenting on the results, Mr Dempsey said it was encouraging to note that a majority of smokers were concerned about their health.

Mr Dempsey said that according to the survey 57 per cent of current smokers see health as the principal factor in considering whether to give up or cut down on cigarettes.

However, he said the survey clearly showed "the status quo cannot be allowed to continue. It is clear from the survey that the Government should substantially increase the price of cigarettes, which would cause many smokers to quit, many more to cut down and in addition, young people would be discouraged from becoming committed smokers."

The Irish Cancer Society's National Quitline, staffed by trained counsellors, is available on 1850 201 203, from 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Monday to Friday.