Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome’s Vatican City.

Pope Francis in Rome has released a statement confirming his plan to ban the sales of duty free cartons of cigarettes to Vatican staff, as of January 2018.

Currently, around 5,000 employees carry identity cards which permit each adult individual to buy five cartons of cigarettes at duty free prices from the dedicated employees’ shop in Rome – a business which is said to generate millions of euros a year.

SALES SET TO CEASE ON HEALTH GROUNDS…

However, Pope Francis yesterday formally confirmed his decision to withdraw this privilege for all employees on health grounds.

Pope Francis.

Relaying this message, the Pope’s press spokesman Greg Burke said: “The Holy Father has decided that the Vatican will cease to sell cigarettes to employees as of 2018. The reason is very simple: the Holy See cannot contribute to an activity that clearly damages the health of people.

“According to the World Health Organization, every year smoking is the cause of more than seven million deaths throughout the world.

“Although the cigarettes sold to employees and pensioners in the Vatican at a reduced price are a source of revenue for the Holy See, no profit can be legitimate if it puts lives at risk.”

The formal statement released by the Vatican’s Press Office yesterday.

Until now, cigarettes have traditionally been available for sale by the Vatican’s identity card-carrying employees for many years from the shop located in the ‘Palazzo della Stazione’, which is close to the Vatican train station.

The Vatican says that it will now cease all duty free cigarette sales at the end of 2017.