The sale of menthol cigarettes is to be banned in Ireland from tomorrow.
The ban is being introduced to ensure that products for sale can no longer include ingredients that would make smoking more palatable by masking the taste of tobacco.
Health Minister Simon Harris says it is a positive step "Smoking is an addictive and lethal habit. The pleasant taste of menthol masks the true taste of tobacco and might attract first-time smokers or keep people smoking who might wish to quit."
The World Health Organisation says tobacco kills more than 8 million people globally every year.
More than 7 million of these deaths are from direct tobacco use and around 1.2 million are due to non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.
A review of studies by public health experts has found that smokers are more likely to develop severe disease with COVID-19, compared to non-smokers.
