merrion street

Minister for Health Simon Harris TD has today congratulated an Irish youth group for their actions in the fight against smoking on World No Tobacco Day.

Limerick Comhairle na nÓg was awarded the prestigious World No Tobacco Day award by the World Health Organisation for its Not Around Us campaign.

The Not Around Us initiative aims to discourage smokers and vapers from lighting up or vaping around others.

Minister Harris said

Our goal is to make Ireland a tobacco free society by 2025 with a focus on the denormalisation of smoking and the protection of children. One in every two children that try smoking will become a smoker and one in every two smokers will die of a tobacco related disease so I am very encouraged to see young people taking action to protect themselves and their peers from this addictive and lethal product.”

The Minister also addressed assertions that smoking provides protection against COVID-19: “The WHO said on 11 May that smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop severe disease with COVID-19 and that there is insufficient information to confirm any link between tobacco or nicotine in the prevention or treatment of COVID-19. I urge everyone who is thinking about stopping smoking on this World No Tobacco Day to contact the HSE Quit service for support.

 

Notes to the Editor

Limerick Comhairle na nÓg partnered with Limerick City and County Council and Healthy Limerick to promote Not Around Us. As part of the initiative, the young people participated in the development of the campaign, shaped policy, selected appropriate areas for no-smoking signage, engaged with their peers on the effects of second hand smoking and raised awareness of the supports or lack of, for those who wish to quit smoking.

Further information on the HSE QUIT service is available here.