Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is set to propose a new law to Cabinet this week, aiming to raise the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21 in Ireland. The goal is to curb smoking rates by limiting access to younger individuals.
If implemented, the law would not affect current smokers aged 18 to 21, allowing them to continue purchasing tobacco products until they turn 21. However, those who recently turned 18 would not be exempt.
Despite a decrease in smoking rates, around 18% of adults in Ireland still smoke. Annually, approximately 4,500 deaths are attributed to smoking-related illnesses or exposure to secondhand smoke.
The government hopes that raising the minimum smoking age will contribute to further reducing these numbers.