RCSI was proud to join public health, patient representative, professional representative, higher education institutions and youth groups from across the island of Ireland in Dublin city centre on Wednesday, 11 November to launch the Smokefree Generation Alliance.

The Alliance, made up of over 20 organisations, calls on the Irish Government to pass legislation to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January, 2009, aligning with the UK and creating a smokefree generation across the island of Ireland.

They were joined by Fine Gael TD Colm Burke and Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne who supported the Alliance and the cause of a smokefree generation.

In the UK, children born on or after 1 January, 2009 will never be legally allowed to purchase tobacco, as the legal age of sale of tobacco products in Great Britain and Northern Ireland is set to increase every year from 2027 onwards.

Although the legal age of sale of tobacco products in the Republic of Ireland will increase to 21 on 1 February, 2028, the legal age in Northern Ireland will increase to 22 by 2030, risking a misalignment across the island of Ireland.

The Smokefree Generation Alliance was established to advocate for Ireland to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January, 2009, creating an all-island approach to this vital public health issue. The Alliance is unique with health groups from across the island of Ireland speaking with one voice calling on the Irish Government to begin planning for the implementation of smokefree generation legislation.

Every year, over 4,500 people in Ireland die prematurely from the effects of tobacco-related disease, while another 2,000 people die from smoking annually in Northern Ireland. Tobacco use causes devastating harm across the island of Ireland, regardless of jurisdiction or background.

RCSI, as a member of the Smokefree Generation Alliance, believes there is a unique opportunity to rid tobacco harm from our society and truly create a smokefree future. Realising this future would be utterly transformational for public health and healthcare across this island.

As a university exclusively focused on driving improvements in human health worldwide through education, research and engagement, we are calling on the Irish Government to begin planning for this legislation today.

Attendees at the launch heard from a range of speakers including Deputy Colm Burke and Deputy Malcolm Byrne on the political significance of a smokefree generation; Dr Helen McAvoy from the All Island Institute of Public Health on the all-island nature of the legislation; Dr Paul Kavanagh of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland; and Dr Emmet O’Brien, chair of ASH Ireland, Council of the Irish Heart Foundation, on the health impact of such legislation, and Mark Murphy of the Irish Heart Foundation who presented the members of the Smokefree Generation Alliance.

If your organisation is interested in joining the Smokefree Generation Alliance, please email smokefreegenerationalliance@gmail.com.