Plain packaging rules for cigarettes come into force today
The irish Cancer Society has said it was a "hard-fought battle" to ensure the progress of plain packaging, but it was "a clear sign that Ireland is committed to protecting the health of its citizens".
Head of Services and Advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society Donal Buggy said: “We’re delighted that plain packs will start to hit the shelves in the coming months, and today marks the end of a hard fought battle to remove the tobacco industry’s last great marketing tool - its packaging.
“Plain packaging will make smoking less attractive, especially to young people. The tobacco industry has spent decades strategically targeting, manipulating and exploiting children, and has thrown the kitchen sink at stopping plain packaging, but thankfully the public interest has prevailed.”
From today, all tobacco products all products manufactured for sale in Ireland must be in plain packaging.
The new measure is aimed at clamping down on the number of people smoking.
Ireland is the fourth country in the world to introduce plain packaging of cigarettes, following Australia, the UK and France.
The rules were brought in under the Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Act which became law in March 2015.
It requires packets to have neutral colouring and include no logos.
Stock manufatured up to today's date may be sold for one more year. Stock manufactured from today onwards must be in plain packaging.
