Forest has urged the Irish government to abandon its target of making Ireland ‘tobacco free’ by 2025. Responding to Tobacco Free Ireland’s Annual Report for 2019, the smokers’ group Forest Ireland said the goal of reducing smoking rates to five per cent or less within...
2020 News Releases
Ireland: Forest’s response to increase in tobacco duty
Campaigners in Ireland have described the latest increase in excise duty on tobacco (50 cents on a pack of 20 cigarettes, with a pro-rata increase on other tobacco products) as "another kick in the teeth" for smokers. Responding to the announcement by finance minister...
Poll: 70% of adults in Ireland say buying cigarettes from the black market or abroad is “understandable”
+ 70% of adults (including 67% of non-smokers) say purchasing cigarettes from the black market or other countries is 'understandable' given high cost of legal tobacco in Ireland + 65% think the current rate of tobacco duty is ‘too high’, a ‘little high’ or ‘about...
Campaigners slam call to introduce new tax on e-cigarettes
Forest Ireland has criticised calls to introduce a new tax on e-cigarettes and further increase the cost of cigarettes in Ireland. The Irish Heart Foundation wants the Government to introduce an excise tax of 6c per millilitre of e-cigarette liquid in next week's...
Removal of smoking shelters from hospital grounds “pathetic” says Forest
Campaigners have reacted with fury to the news that smoking shelters have been removed from the grounds of South Tyneside District Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital. Marking the start of the Stoptober quit smoking campaign, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS...
Forest critical of move to ban smoking on sidelines of children’s football matches in Wales
Forest has criticised a move by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) to ban smoking on the sidelines of children's football games in Wales. Responding to what is described by ASH Wales as an "historic move", Simon Clark, director of Forest, said: “Banning smoking...
Report: Local authority war on smoking a “moral crusade”
Councils are dramatically overstepping statutory smokefree requirements, imposing draconian smoking and vaping bans on their own workforces and on outdoor public spaces. According to a new report to be published on Monday 21st September by Forest, smoking is no longer...
Forest slams move to ban smoking in all new seating areas outside Manchester pubs and bars
Forest has criticised a move by Manchester City Council to ban smoking in all new seating areas outside pubs, bars and restaurants. Legislation passed by the government last month gave the hospitality industry the option to provide smoking and non-smoking areas...
In This Section
Mission & Vision
Mission
Forest’s mission is to protect the interests of adults who choose to smoke or consume tobacco.
Our key aims and objectives are to:
- counteract the “denormalisation” of smoking, and smokers
- prevent further restrictions on the purchase and consumption of tobacco
- establish closer links with other tobacco-friendly groups at home and abroad
- build support among consumers of tobacco and other similarly threatened groups
- highlight the increasingly intrusive nature of Big Government in the lives of private individuals