Monday, June 09 2008
According to an article by Pete Robinson in
thePublican, it turns out that since Ireland's smoking ban went into effect in 2004, the number of smokers has actually increased.
The reasons for this should be clear to all but the heavily blinkered. Prohibition simply does not work. Never has done, never will. Drive something underground and it becomes seductively attractive. Lifetime non-smokers are trying 'that first cigarette' so they don't feel left out when accompanying their smoking friends - you see this all the time outside pubs.
This has come as something of an embarrassment to Irish govthealth tzars and the likes of ASH-Ireland who are absolutelyfurious. "These figures clearly show that no progress is being made despite the immense success of our smoking legislation", commented Prof Luke Clancy of ASH.
Ireland: Smoking population up since ban
