Changing Irish norms: the smoking ban

Abstract

peer-reviewed ; In 2000 the Irish government received a report on the dangers of Environmental Tobacco Smoke to non-smokers. Acting on this advice the Irish government set about implementing policies that would see the elimination of cigarette smoking in all work places in Ireland. This paper contends that the acceptance of the resultant government legislation by the general public has been reflective of changing norms in contemporary Irish society.However, it is argued that legislative change was driven not by widespread public opinion but by what Becker (1963) referred to as 'moral entrepreneurs' in the form of health promotion interest groups. It is argued that these groups saw legislative change, not just as an opportunity to enforce behavioural change but also as part of a larger process of denormalising smoking in Irish society. Efforts to change social norms relative to smoking continue today. More recently, the Office of Tobacco control has moved to continue this transformation of what is acceptable in society by making a targeted effort to stem the recruitment of young smokers by tobacco companies. This paper will explore these recent smoking-related developments in Ireland as part of ongoing interest group involvement on the creation of new norms.