Jillian van Turnhout (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses. I do not have a specific question because they have provided compelling evidence to the joint committee today. I use the word "evidence" because while members have heard evidence in other submissions, I discount it if it is being funded by the tobacco industry. However, the witnesses have provided members with highly compelling evidence. Dr. Finbarr O'Connell stated that 95% of lung cancer patients in Ireland are directly linked with tobacco and everyone can think of someone he or she knows who had or has lung cancer. Consequently, that was quite a startling figure for me in respect of the realisation that so much is within our grasp to improve people's health. Last week, representatives of some children's groups appeared before the joint committee and gave members compelling evidence about marketing and the attractiveness of the product. I refer to the different sized boxes to which the witnesses referred and the bright sparkly colours that are used and which are attractive in nature. Obviously, the witnesses also have given members the health warnings, particularly for children, and I had not heard of the prenatal factors in such a compelling way. This is very important for the joint committee as it proceeds with these hearings. I think the opening sentence Dr. Matthew Sadlier used was that it is the only product that, if used as intended, kills. That is the basic fact about it. As for the fact that 78% of people will start before the age of 18, either the tobacco industry's marketing campaigns are marketing to the wrong people or they are targeting children and I believe it clearly is the latter, because if that is the rate of take-up, it is well past any margins of error.

I thank the witnesses. Their evidence has been very useful. I hope the evidence that has emerged this morning will be publicised. Unfortunately, it is not what always makes the headlines but I believe the public must be informed of the effects of smoking right across the health spectrum, both directly and indirectly.