Making Ireland smoke free

We work to reduce the number of people who smoke in Ireland. This is how we do it.

One in four people smoke in Ireland. One out of two smokers will die from a tobacco-related disease. Sixteen people die every day from smoking. It causes more than a third of all cancers and nine out of 10 lung cancers.

The Irish Cancer Society is a force of change, presenting new ways to encourage and support people who are ready to quit smoking and to prevent people from ever starting.

We do this by working with politicians to develop groundbreaking laws to bring the smoking rate down. We also provide help and advice to smokers through the National Smokers Quitline. We believe that tough legislation while supporting smokers in their quit attempts, go hand in hand.

Our recent tobacco advocacy campaigns have focussed on:

• The price of tobacco products
• Controlling smuggled cigarettes through Irish borders
• The workplace smoking ban
• Abolishing the sale of cigarettes in 10-packs
• Graphic warnings on cigarettes
• Banning smoking in cars
• Reducing the number of young people who smoke
• Deglamourising smoking

We know that 70% of smokers want to quit. Our role is to make it easier for them by thinking of new ideas, new legislation and new approaches that will help them make this quit attempt, a successful quit attempt.