UK experts to tell how smoking rates can be cut in Ireland

Charles Cully Lecture hosted by Irish Cancer Society on January 30th 2012

Experts from the UK’s most successful tobacco control programme will meet with representatives from the HSE, the Revenue Commissioners, Gardai, Department of Health and other anti-smoking stakeholders at a series of high-level meetings facilitated by the Irish Cancer Society today, Monday, January 30th.

The FRESH Smoke Free North East project has overseen the biggest drop in smoking in England - from 29% in 2005 to 22% in 2009. Since the establishment of FRESH, the North East area of England has become something of a beacon in the area of tobacco control as it has achieved the largest drop in adult smoking nationwide within a short timeframe. FRESH is headquartered in County Durham but serves the whole of the North East including the cities of Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough which have wards with some of the region’s highest and most stubborn smoking rates, particularly amongst poorer people.

The Irish Cancer Society believes that by adopting some of the innovative approaches spearheaded by FRESH, Ireland could achieve a similarly significant drop in the percentage of people who smoke here. The Irish Cancer Society is championing the FRESH approach that has successfully driven smoking rates down through the work of one coordinated regional office working across health, local government, business and enforcement. It has successfully united a large range of partners to deliver a clear and unified vision which the Irish Cancer Society believes could be delivered in Ireland.

“There is no reason why we can’t adopt the inclusive, community-based approach to tobacco control that FRESH has used to successfully drive down the number of people who smoke,” said Kathleen O’Meara, Head of Advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society. “The Irish Cancer Society has facilitated the high-level meetings between decision makers in the area of tobacco control and FRESH, to share ideas, opportunities and challenges around smoking in Ireland. We believe that there should be a Tobacco Control Strategy in place that combines every national and local organisation working to reduce the smoking rate in their area. We are optimistic that the Minister for Health’s Tobacco Policy Review that is currently underway will provide the streamlined anti-tobacco strategy that we so urgently need.”

Representatives from the FRESH programme were in Ireland to speak at the Irish Cancer Society’s annual ‘Charles Cully Lecture’ at which a keynote speaker to addresses politicians, policy advisors, civil servants and other stakeholders. This year the speaker will be Prof. Eugene Milne, Deputy Regional Director of Public Health, North East Strategic Health Authority in the UK and has been one of the critical deliverers of FRESH Smokefree North East.