Ireland - Office of Tobacco Control 2008 annual report - Positive..

June 23, 2009 - Yesterday, Ireland's Office Of Tobacco Control (OTC) published its 2008 annual report showing compliance with smoke-free workplace legislation at highest ever level - 97 percent. This is the highest level of annual compliance since the introduction of the measure in 2004.

Ireland will plow ahead with further anti-smoker legislation from the beginning of next month, July 1, 2009 when it introduces a ban on the advertising and display of tobacco products in retail shops. At the same time, under new provisions of the Public Health (Tobacco) Acts 2002 and 2004, tobacco retailers will have to sign up to a retail register and tighter controls will be imposed on the location and operation of tobacco vending machines.

But there will be more to follow. Norma Cronin, Chairperson of OTC, said that while tobacco smoke-free workplaces and the removal of tobacco point-of-sale advertising placed Ireland in the forefront internationally in the fight against the “tobacco epidemic”, those in tobacco control should not become complacent. “All of us involved in tobacco control must continue to work together towards the shared vision of a tobacco free society,” she said.

References: Ireland's Office of Tobacco Control - 2008 Annual Report.; Shared vision of a tobacco smoke-free Ireland, Tobacco Reporter, 6/23/2009; Record compliance with smoking ban, CHARLIE TAYLOR, IrishTimes.com, 6/22/2009.

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