Tobacco Free Ireland is Ireland’s national tobacco control policy. It sets a target for Ireland to be tobacco free by 2025. In practice, this will mean a smoking prevalence rate of less than 5%. The two key themes underpinning the policy are the protection of children and the denormalisation of smoking. The policy was launched under the Healthy Ireland framework. A detailed action plan has been developed outlining the time frames and responsibilities for the implementation of actions under the policy. This Report is the latest update on the implementation of actions under the policy.

Progress made in the Action Plan in 2022 included:
• The publication of Ireland’s first National Stop Smoking Clinical Guideline (Guideline No.28).
• The removal of VAT from all Nicotine Replacement Therapy in the Government Budget.
• The continued development of voluntary smokefree environment iniƟaƟves such as “Not Around Us”, with Donegal launching a new campaign in 2022.
• The inclusion of further restrictions on e-cigareƩes in the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill.
• Publication of the second State of Tobacco Control in Ireland report by the HSE.
• Further expansion of the peer-led We Can Quit programme. 49 We Can Quit courses were run in 2022, 35 of which were run in Sláintecare Health Community areas.
• Redevelopment of the Quit4Youth stop smoking programme with all facilitators and participants resources being redesigned and updated. The new programme now includes content on e-cigarettes.
• Excise duty on tobacco products was raised by 50 cent in the Government budget. The majority of cigarette brands now cost more than €15.50.
• Investment of over €2 million in the QUIT Campaign in 2022.
• More than 7,000 inspections and 400 test purchases were carried out by the HSE Environmental Health Service monitoring retailer compliance.