Smoking Incidence

The smoking ban was introduced in Ireland in March 2004. According to latest rolling average figures from the Irish Office of Tobacco Control, the incidence of smoking was 25.28% in November 2003, 23.98% in November 2004 (after the ban was introduced) and 23.91% a year later in December 2005. This suggests that the effect of the ban has been to cut incidence by, at most, 1.4% and coincides with the impact of sharp duty rises over the period have been factored in.

In comparison, latest figures for the UK show that incidence in the UK fell from 25% to 23% during the period from 2002 to 2004 with no statutory smoking restrictions at all.

Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking Amongst Irish Adults