22 September 2026
By Valerie Ryan
Valerie@TheCork.ie
UCC researcher warns that two decades after Ireland’s world-leading smoking ban, the country’s progress on limiting second-hand smoke exposure has stalled, with over 500 Irish deaths in 2023 attributed to the problem
Ireland’s progress on reducing second-hand smoke exposure has stalled, with 1.37 million people – 27.9% of the population – still exposed to second-hand smoke in 2023, according to a major new study just published in The Lancet Public Health.
Despite being the first country in the world to introduce a workplace smoking ban in 2004, Ireland now ranks fifth out of 27 EU member states for second-hand smoke exposure.
The Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, which analysed data from 204 countries and territories over 33 years (1990–2023), attributes approximately 569 deaths and over 13,300 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to second-hand smoke in Ireland in 2023.
Dr Zubair Kabir, Senior Lecturer at UCC’s School of Public Health and Ireland’s lead researcher on the Global Burden of Disease Study, said the findings are a wake-up call.
“Two decades after Ireland led the world with its 2004 workplace smoking ban, our exposure to second-hand smoke is stuck. The easy gains are behind us.”
“The ban was never designed to protect people outdoors or in other private settings – and that is where exposure is now concentrated. We need new tobacco ‘endgame’ measures – progressive age increases, tighter retail licensing, and enhanced cessation support – to finish the job.”
Key Irish findings
- 1.37 million Irish people exposed to second-hand smoke in 2023 (27.9% of the population)
- Approximately 569 deaths attributable to second-hand smoke in Ireland in 2023
- Over 13,300 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost
- Despite being the first country in the world to introduce a workplace smoking ban in 2004, Ireland now ranks fifth out of 27 EU member states for second-hand smoke exposure, behind countries that introduced smoke-free workplace policies later.
While Ireland’s age-standardised death rate attributable to second-hand smoke has fallen significantly – from 30.4 per 100,000 in 1990 to 6.5 per 100,000 in 2023 – this progress has not translated into a continued decline in recent years. The GBD data show exposure has remained flat for the last three years examined (2021–2023).
Globally, the study estimates that 2.71 billion people – including 767 million children from newborns to 14 year olds – were exposed to second-hand smoke in 2023, contributing to 1.66 million deaths and the loss of 44.8 million years of healthy life.
Ischaemic heart disease was the leading contributor to second-hand smoke-attributable DALYs globally (12 million), while lower respiratory infections predominated among children (5.16 million).
Women and children are disproportionately affected. In southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania, women were 59% more likely to be exposed to second-hand smoke than men.
Policy implications
Dr Kabir called for accelerated implementation of comprehensive tobacco control measures and to future-proof tobacco ‘endgame’ measures.
“Second-hand smoke is still responsible for over 13,000 years of healthy life lost in Ireland every year. The smoking ban was an extraordinary achievement – but it was never the finish line. We need to protect people with a total ban, that is where the burden now lies. We need to aim for a smoke-free generation, such as the bill as has been implemented in the UK.”
“Seventy per cent of the global population remains unprotected by comprehensive smoke-free laws. Ireland has an opportunity to reassert its leadership on tobacco control – but we need the political will to act.”