Madam, - May I take issue with one aspect of your otherwise common sense Editorial of June 1st, headed "Young Smokers"?
I refer to your suggestion that the Government consider further price increases as part of its strategy in tackling the problem. As one who managed to escape the clutches of the dreaded weed 10 years ago, I believe this approach to be ill-advised and counter-productive.
In all my 20-odd years of nicotine addiction, price was never a factor, no matter what my financial position at any particular time.
Dedicated smokers and ex-smokers will know what I am talking about. Price increases merely further impoverish the already hard-pressed low-income families you refer to in the piece.
It also strikes me as highly hypocritical of the Government to squeeze ever increasing revenues from a group which it is supposedly trying to help. If it was serious about protecting people's health it would introduce a blanket ban on tobacco, as on all dangerous drugs.
We know, of course, that this will never happen due to the vested interests of big tobacco companies and the Exchequer. - Yours, etc.,
THOMAS NAGHTEN,
Finnstown Cloisters,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.