AMA calls on State Governments to work harder on tobacco control
World No Tobacco Day 2012
On World No Tobacco Day, AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, today called on the State and Territory Governments to follow the strong leadership of the Federal Government on tobacco control by doing more to stop people smoking.
The South Australian Government was last weekend recognised by the AMA for its outstanding recent tobacco control efforts with the AMA/ACOSH/ASH Tobacco Scoreboard Award. The Victorian Government scored The Dirty Ashtray Award for the poorest tobacco control record, which included cutting back proven tobacco control initiatives.
Dr Hambleton said much more could be done by all governments to save lives and improve public health with initiatives and legislation stop people smoking and to stop people, especially young people, from taking up the killer habit.
“Some State and Territory Governments have improved their performance, others have dropped the ball,” Dr Hambleton said.
“Strangely, some who were leaders have now become followers.
“We need nationally consistent momentum to achieve meaningful action to combat smoking.
“More action is needed from various States on smoking in outdoor areas, point of sale displays, sales to minors, smoking in prisons and correctional facilities, smoking in nursing homes, smoking at public hospitals and health facilities, and refusing political donations from the tobacco industry.
“Some States are strong in some areas and weak in others.”
The theme for this year’s World No Tobacco Day is: Tobacco industry interference.
In its efforts to derail or weaken strong tobacco control policies, tobacco industry interference takes many forms, including:
- Manoeuvring to hijack the political and legislative process;
- Exaggerating the economic importance of the industry;
- Manipulating public opinion to gain the appearance of respectability;
- Fabricating support through front groups;
- Discrediting proven science; and
- Intimidating governments with litigation or the threat of litigation
The AMA/Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH)/Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) National Tobacco Scoreboard this year rated the States and Territories in the following order (from best to worst) in tobacco control – South Australia (1), Western Australia (=2), Tasmania (=2), ACT (4), New South Wales (5), Northern Territory (6), Queensland (7), Victoria (8).
Background
- Smoking is Australia's leading cause of death and disease. It causes 15,500 deaths annually;
- In 2003, tobacco smoking accounted for 8 per cent of the total burden of disease;
- In 2004-5, the cost of tobacco smoking, including those costs for health care, lost productivity and intangible social costs, was estimated to be $31.5 billion;
- In 2010, one in seven (15 per cent) of Australians aged 14 years or over were daily smokers and one in four (24 per cent) were ex-smokers;
- Smoking rates have declined, largely due to lower rates of smoking in those aged 24-44 years;
- Tobacco smoking is higher among males, those with the lower socio-economic status, those living in remote and very remote areas, and among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
- 15.4 per cent of survey participants (National Drug Strategy Household Survey, 2010) identified tobacco as the drug of most concern to the community;
- Worldwide tobacco kills nearly 6 million people annually, with 600,000 of these people non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke;
- Half of all long-term smokers will die as a result of their smoking.
31 May 2012
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