A chara, – In light of the recent report which found that there has been little or no decrease in the percentage of minors smoking (“Not enough done to prevent smoking, RCSI report finds”, June 16th) , is it not time to abandon the farce that raising taxation on tobacco discourages minors from smoking?
An effective method of preventing minors smoking is to prevent them acquiring cigerettes. The best way to do so is of course to prosecute and fine – heavily – retailers who sell cigerettes to minors. Equally, prosecution for adults who purchase cigerettes for minors would also help to discourage children from smoking, as indeed would a pro-active approach by gardaí in confiscating tobacco from minors who can be seen smoking on any street in the country.
Various tax increases and the elimination of the 10-pack of cigerettes have failed to make any dent on numbers taking up the habit.
Meanwhile, the price of tobacco for the average law-abiding adult seems to increase on a yearly basis, fuelling the black market in tobacco, at a loss to the exchequer. Yet the central reason for the price increases has everything to do with revenue and nothing to do with health. – Is mise,