Tobacco

Tobacco

Tobacco use is associated with a wide range of health problems, including lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, respiratory diseases, and many other conditions.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 8 million people die from tobacco use every year, with a further 1.2 million deaths annually from second-hand smoke.

Why is tobacco a public health issue?

Ireland and Northern Ireland are continuing to experience an epidemic of tobacco-related disease, disability and death. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths and preventable cancers across the island of Ireland, contributing to around 5,000 deaths in Ireland and 2,300 deaths in Northern Ireland every year.

Tobacco use not only harms the health of people who smoke, but also has significant negative effects on the health of non-users through exposure to second-hand smoke. There are also significant economic costs associated with tobacco use, including healthcare costs, lost productivity, and reduced quality of life.

The burden of tobacco-related harm falls disproportionately on certain vulnerable groups within the population, notably children, people living in social disadvantage, men and people with mental ill-health.

Support Services

If you, or a loved one, require help to quit smoking, the following support and information is available:

Ireland: Quit.ie
Northern Ireland: - Stop Smoking NI

Key Facts: Tobacco

Tobacco use among adults (16 yrs+)

Ireland: 18% of adults reported smoking (2022)

Northern Ireland: 17% of adults reported smoking (2021/22)

Ireland: Policy, Strategy, Legislation

Since becoming the first country in the world to ban smoking in public places in 2004, Ireland has committed to becoming Tobacco Free.

Tobacco Free Ireland Policy 2013-2025

Healthy Ireland Strategic Action Plan 2021-2025

Health Service Executive Tobacco Free Ireland Programme

Northern Ireland: Policy, Strategy, Legislation

In Northern Ireland, the following policies, strategies and legislation are in place to address tobacco-related harms.

10 Year Tobacco Control Strategy for Northern Ireland (2012-2022)

Mid Term Review Tobacco Control Strategy

IPH evidence review for mid-term review of 10 Year Tobacco Control Strategy

Tobacco

Recent work on tobacco

IPH uses new and emerging evidence and data to develop policy briefs and submissions that will inform public policy on tobacco control in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Recent examples of our work include giving evidence to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health on the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019, contributing to a report by the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Policy Group on raising the minimum age of sale of tobacco from 18 to 21 years, and developing Tobacco 21 Mythbusters to debunk some of the myths that persist around tobacco.

Building on previous work in Northern Ireland, the Institute supported elements of the End of Term Review of the 10 Year Tobacco Control Strategy, including a stakeholder engagement report, and outputs focussed on second-hand smoke and mental health, which can be found here.

Read a 2023 summary of our work and activity on tobacco control policy here.

Latest Tobacco Resources

Tobacco

New report makes case for raising the legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21 years

New report makes case for raising the legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21 years

12 Sep, 2022 - The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland’s Policy Group on Tobacco has published a new report which makes the case for raising the minimum age of sale of tobacco from 18 to 21 years.The Tobacco 21…

Older lady brushing teeth

Oral Health and Wellbeing in Older Adults in Ireland

1 Oct, 2017 - Key Findings • One in six (18%) of adults aged 54 years and…

Health Promotion Ageing Tobacco

Man smoking whilst driving

Smoke-free spaces on the island of Ireland – Snapshot Report

1 Mar, 2017 - Reducing second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure has become a central component of tobacco control policies across the island of Ireland. The…

Boy with balloons

Smoke-free spaces on the island of Ireland – Snapshot Report 2016

14 Jun, 2016 - Reducing second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure has become a central component of tobacco control policies across the island of Ireland. The…

Kids playing outdoors

A Tobacco-Free Future – an all-island report on tobacco, inequalities and childhood

25 Nov, 2013 - A Tobacco-Free Future – An all-island report on tobacco, inequalities and childhood 2013 reveals declines in smoking rates among both…

Children and Young People Health Inequalities Tobacco

Paper lungs in hands

Making Chronic Conditions Count: 5. Chronic Airflow Obstruction

1 Feb, 2010 - This piece of research is the fifth in a series of chronic conditions prevalence forecasting reports which IPH has produced. Previous…

Chronic Conditions Health Inequalities Tobacco