Smoking ban 20 years on: Against expectations, the ban worked. But doctors fear momentum has been lost

“No smoke without ire” ran the headline on one article in The Irish Times as the workplace smoking ban came into effect, 20 years ago this Friday.

“It was a complete success and very popular too,” recalls respiratory consultant Prof Luke Clancy, who played a pivotal role as head of an advocacy coalition in convincing the government to introduce the ban. Ireland was one of the last countries in Europe to ban the sale of vapes to under-18s, says Chris Macey of the Irish Heart Foundation.

According to last year’s census, 9 per cent of the population smoke daily, 4 per cent smoke occasionally and 19 per cent have given up smoking. Ireland recorded one of the largest falls in smoking rates over the past decade, according to an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report last November, though the overall rate remains close to the international average.

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