With over 6000 deaths a year caused by smoking - Simon Harris says tobacco remains one of the greatest challenges to public health.
The Minister for Health is bringing forward new legislation to ban the sale of tobacco products from self-service vending machines and 'locations-or-events' intended for children.
As the tobacco industry continues to adapt, Simon Harris says we must ensure it's not able to lure our children into a deadly addiction.
The legislation, being considered by Government this September, will ban the sale of e-cigarette, tobacco products or nicotine inhaling products to anyone under the age of 18.
It will also introduce a licensing system, better reflecting the serious nature of the product being sold - with enforcement tools like fixed penalty notices and powers to name and shame non-compliant retailers.
Minister Harris says the war against tobacco isn't over with hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, and an annual cost to Irish Society of over €10.5b in terms of healthcare, and productivity.
