Office of Tobacco Control welcomes Minister’s announcement of date for removal of all tobacco advertising from retail premises

Mr. Éamonn Rossi, Chief Executive of the Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) today (9 July 2008) welcomed the announcement by Ms Mary Wallace T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, of 1 July 2009 as the date for the removal of all tobacco advertising and product display from retail premises.

Mr Rossi said today’s announcement sets out a clear timetable for:

1. A ban on all in-store / point-of-sale advertising of tobacco products, for example, branding backdrops in shops and change mats on counters;
2. A ban on the display of tobacco products in retail premises,
3. The introduction of a closed container / dispenser provision;
4. Tighter controls on the location and operation of tobacco vending machines;
5. The introduction of a retail register.

“If the current trend of 6,000 smoking-related deaths in Ireland per year continues, almost two-thirds of a million Irish people will perish because of tobacco before the century is out.  If we are to prevent this occurring we need to effectively tackle the issue of youth smoking and that is why this measure is of such importance.”

Mr Rossi explained that 16% of 12-17 year olds smoke even though it is illegal for them to be sold tobacco.

“The significance of the tobacco control measures announced today in protecting young people should not be underestimated – after all, smoking initiation is largely a childhood phenomenon. More than three-quarters of all smokers in Ireland started to smoke before they reached the age of 18.”

Éamonn Rossi said it was important to look at the issue of tobacco advertising in shops from a child’s perspective. 

“Such advertising and display of product occurs in a very familiar place – the local shop used by young people several times a week – and it seeks to make cigarettes part of children’s normal social environment. The positioning of such point-of-sale advertising – at and behind the till – is also crucial and means that when children come to pay for their goods, or are standing with their parents when they make their purchases, tobacco advertising is directly in their eyeline. We must remember that such point-of-sale advertising is critically different from other forms of advertising – it occurs where the shopper can be transformed into the buyer.”
 
“There is compelling evidence from research that children are aware of and are influenced by this form of advertising, in their attitudes and their behaviour.  In this context, it’s worth noting that 80% of child smokers in Ireland smoke just two brands, the brands which happen to be the two most heavily marketed through the use of in-store displays.”

Éamonn Rossi concluded by pointing out that there is strong public support for this measure.

“Eighty-seven per cent of the public support a ban on all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and communication as a means of discouraging young people from smoking.”