NSR III - BIPS

Context
This report sets out to describe the policy and legislation pertinent to the
issue of smoking cessation and pregnancy in Ireland. It gives, where
possible, relevant statistics, maps relevant health policy and legislation and
seeks to describe both good practice smoking cessation interventions - where
accessible - and relevant research.
Draft findings are as follows:
o There is much agreement between policy makers and the various
players that there is a serious deficit in smoking statistics related to
women. There are no statistics available on smoking rates in pregnant
women whether smokers or non smokers.
o Evidence for smoking cessation is weak with no centrally collated
statistics.
o There is a high level of compliance with the recently introduced
smoking ban in the workplace which has resulted in 96% of workplaces
being smoke free.
o The structural reforms within the health services in Ireland will impact
on how smoking cessation services are and will be delivered in the
future.
o Smoking cessation practice is currently delivered in an adhoc and
unmonitored manner with no national guidelines or centrally collated
statistics.
Legislation
On March 29 th 2004 it became illegal to smoke in enclosed working
environments under the Public Health (Tobacco) Acts 2002 and 2004 in the
Republic of Ireland.
This means that it is illegal to smoke in public buildings, pubs, on all types of
public transport, factories, shops, restaurants, hotels, hospitals and offices.
There are some exceptions for example psychiatric hospitals.
A year on from the introduction of the smoking ban in the workplace a report
from the Office for Tobacco Control found the following:
� Compliance with the smoke free legislation is very high
� 94% of all workplaces inspected under the National Tobacco Control
Inspection Programme were smoke-free
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