Two women who claim cigarette smoking has destroyed their lives urged the Government yesterday to provide financial support for court action they have started against several Irish tobacco firms.
Speaking the day after the European Parliament endorsed a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship, the women told the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children they need funds for research that would assist them in their case, which was begun in the High Court last year.
Ms Ann Moloney (44), of Bray and Ms Susan Riley (43) of Portmarnock, also told the committee that stronger legislation was needed to curtail the sale of tobacco and to educate young people about the dangers of smoking.
Ms Moloney said she plans to speak directly to schoolchildren in her neighbourhood to warn them of the dangers of smoking. "I have lost one lung and have to use a wheelchair because I have trouble breathing," she said. "We have to reach these children in primary school or it is too late."
Ms Riley, who has been smoking for 33 years, told the committee she had tried to stop several times, but has been unsuccessful. Dr Luke Clancy, chairman of ASH Ireland, said current legislation that makes it illegal to sell cigarettes to anyone under 16 years of age is ineffective because it is not enforced.
He urged the Government to adopt legislation immediately to ban tobacco advertising on the outside pages of newspapers and magazines. He also said the Government must take a more aggressive stance against cigarette smoking by having a multidimensional approach to fighting nicotine addiction, especially among young people.
This approach could include banning all tobacco advertising and sponsorship in Ireland, increasing the price of 20 cigarettes by 25p, adopting legislation to deal with non-smokers' rights in the workplace and informing primary and secondary school students about the subtlety of tobacco advertising.
About 28 per cent of Irish people smoke and smoking-related illnesses kill about 6,000 people in Ireland each year, Dr Clancy said.
Mr Batt O'Keeffe TD, chairman of the committee on health and children, told Dr Clancy his presentation was like a "breath of fresh smokeless air".
He said the committee would study the submissions and expected to report back to the Government.