AMA Challenges Governments To Get Tough on Smoking To Save Lives

Recent OECD figures show that Australia's smoking rates have dropped by just over two per cent to 17.7 per cent of adults aged 15 years and over in the three years to 2004.

Dr Haikerwal said all Australian governments must work to get smoking rates down to 10 per cent or less in the next five years with tougher legislation.

"There are still too many people sick and dying from the effects of tobacco smoking and sadly many people - especially the young - are taking up the habit," Dr Haikerwal said.

"Smoking is the largest single preventable cause of death and disease in Australia, contributing to more deaths and hospitalisations than alcohol and illicit drug use combined.

"Smoking accounts for 80 per cent of all drug related deaths, killing 18,000 Australians each year.

"Half of long-term smokers will die prematurely. Most people who die from heart disease in their 40s and 50s are smokers.

"Too many kids and young women are taking up the habit. We need to expose clever marketing by tobacco companies that targets thousands of young people who find it easy to start smoking, but harder to quit, and are more likely to become long-term smokers.

"People from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to smoke, and so are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with mental illness, and people in prison.

"To reduce the number of smokers we need to portray smoking as dirty, unhealthy and unattractive - a killer," Dr Haikerwal said.

Smoking cost the nation more than $21 billion dollars in 1998-99 in health care, business and other related costs.

The AMA's Position Statement on Tobacco Smoking includes the following recommendations and actions:

• Therapies to help people quit smoking should be cheaper than buying cigarettes
• Political parties should not accept sponsorship from tobacco companies
• The AMA supports a class action against tobacco companies on smoking-related disease
• Deceptive advertising such as the use of the words 'light' or 'mild' should be illegal
• The AMA supports generic packaging
• The Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act should be amended to prevent the promotion of tobacco products and smoking in films and other media
• Product placement in television programs and movies should be restricted to audiences over 18 years of age
• Non-smokers should qualify for reduced life, sickness and disability insurance premiums
• Smoking by teachers, staff, pupils and visitors should be banned in or near all schools
• Medical practitioners and other health professionals should not smoke in public when they are identifiable in their occupational role
• All forms of public promotion and marketing of tobacco products should be banned, including at the point of sale
• Governments and the police have a responsibility to enforce the law regarding the sale of tobacco products to minors
• The AMA supports the use of Controlled Purchase Operations (CPOs), undercover operations which expose retailers who sell cigarettes to kids
• Smoking should be banned in all public areas, including pubs and clubs, workplaces, restaurants and public transport
• State and Territory Governments must standardise their excise tax on cigarettes to the highest taxing State
• There should be more targeted research into methods for quitting smoking.

A copy of the AMA's Tobacco Smoking Position Statement is attached and is also available on the AMA's website at www.ama.com.au.

15 November 2005

CONTACT: Judith Tokley (02) 6270 5471 / (0408) 824 306