- Ireland on course to become first EU country to raise its age of sale of tobacco products to 21
Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, has today announced the passing of the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024 by the Seanad, completing its passage through both Houses of the Oireachtas. The Bill will increase the minimum legal age of the sale of tobacco products to 21 years of age.
The measure is being introduced in order to accelerate the decline in adult smoking prevalence, which has remained at 18% for several years, and to reduce smoking prevalence among children to zero. On enactment, Ireland will become the first country in the EU to raise its age of sale to 21.
Minister Donnelly said:
“I thank my colleagues in the Dail and Seanad for supporting this Bill and moving us forward toward the end of combustible tobacco products in our country.
“Ireland has long been a world leader in tackling smoking, beginning with the workplace smoking ban in 2004 and continuing with a range of measures including restrictions around the sale, advertising and packaging of smoking products to make them less attractive and less available to young people.
“I look forward to seeing this measure enacted, to help our young people to avoid the lifetime of addiction and illness that tobacco smoking brings.”
Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy, Colm Burke said:
“This measure will protect our young people from starting their adult lives with an addiction to a product that causes 76% of lung cancers here and kills half of those who use it. I have strongly supported its introduction from the beginning and I look forward to its enactment.”
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Mary Horgan, said:
“The enactment of this legislation represents another significant step in our efforts to reduce smoking levels. Tobacco smoking continues to be the biggest risk factor driving disability and death combined in our country, placing a huge burden on our health service. This measure will contribute to eliminating that ongoing threat and will support people to follow healthier behaviours.”
The Bill will now proceed to the President for consideration and signature. Upon being signed, the Act will take effect on 1 February 2028. This allows a transition period to ensure that individuals currently eligible to purchase tobacco products, specifically those aged between 18 and 21, are not impacted.
The Bill provides that current penalties for anyone convicted of selling tobacco products to people under the age of 18 will be extended to cover convictions relating to sales to people under the age of 21, including fines of up to €4,000 or six months’ imprisonment, or both, for a first offence.
