Author: ASH Ireland

Ash Ireland welcomes moves to introduce legislation to ban smoking in cars transporting children (13th January 2013)

ASH Ireland

ASH Ireland welcomes indications from the Department of Health today (in the media) that legislation to ban smoking in cars with children could be enacted later this year.

Dr Ross Morgan, Chairman of ASH Ireland said today, “we welcome these indications that this important health legislation could now be introduced later this year. ASH Ireland first raised this issue, as a possible health initiative, with Minister Harney in 2005. In April 2010 ASH Ireland met the newly appointed Minister James Reilly and again pushed for this health initiative to be introduced – and then received a commitment from the Minister that he would proceed as soon as was feasible. We now again encourage the Minister to ensure that there are no further delays with a proposal, which has been with his Department for over seven years”

Dr Morgan went on the say, “The international evidence to support protecting children in cars from passive smoke is overwhelming. Passive smoke contains carcinogens and other pollutants, which are particularly harmful to children. One study shows that 1 in 7 Irish children are affected by passive smoke in cars and it is important that these children are protected by legislation. This is a health initiative which is gaining momentum all around the world and who could possibly argue against it”

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For contact:  ASH Ireland:  0818-305055

Wally Young, Young Communications, 087-2471520

 

Launched – A new website for young people

ASH Ireland
Students from Drimnagh Castle School with Dr Angie Brown
Students from Drimnagh Castle School with Dr Angie Brown

ASH Ireland today launched a new website, The Tribe,www.thetribe.ie specifically designed to engage with young people on smoking and tobacco related issues. (Launch-12pm Tuesday 22nd May 2012 at 41a Blackberry Lane, Rathmines – the offices of Cawley Nea)

This interactive website, will deal with health, environmental and addiction issues, as well stressing the many other downsides to smoking, such as drying of the skin (wrinkles) loss of hair quality, damage to teeth, loss of fitness and nicotine poisoning of young people who work in the tobacco fields in developing countries.

Dr Angie Brown, of ASH Ireland and Medical Director of the Irish Heart Foundation said today, “We are very aware that young people do not engage effectively with websites, which are designed for adults. The new website, which we had evaluated by young people’s focus groups, is specifically designed to meet the needs of young people. We have provided information, together with a range of videos and pictures, which highlight the many issues and dangers associated with tobacco and smoking. The Tribe idea, is essentially a ‘tribe against big tobacco’ and all this big industry stands for; including massive profit, aggressive marketing of a killer product and a major influencer of governments all around the world”.

At today’s launch transition year students from Drimnagh Castle secondary school, who had reviewed the website presented their assessment on the possible impact of www.thetribe.ie.

Jason Nolan, transition year student at Drimnagh Castle said, “www.thetribe.ie is accessible and very helpful for people of my age group and school goers; as there is a lot of smoking in the vicinity of schools. I was also taken aback with some of the statistics; I learned, for example, that most people who die from lung cancer are smokers”.

Cameron Hazel, another transition year student from Drimnagh Castle said, “I was particularly taken by the information on ‘big tobacco’, the enemy as they are referred to on www.thetribe.ie . I also learned a lot about how ‘big tobacco’ continually try to influence governments, who are health focused and want to change the laws and make smoking less attractive and less normal”.

The website, www.thetribe.ie was designed by Cawley Nea/TWEA, Dublin.