National Political Leadership Needed to Stop People Smoking

Dr Capolingua said smoking is the single biggest preventable cause of death and disease in Australia, and stronger action is needed to prevent the 16,000 deaths and the widespread chronic disease and ill-health that hit the Australian community every year.

"Doctors are seeing the destructive effects of cigarette smoking on patients every day," Dr Capolingua said.

"While we have had significant legislation in some States and Territories, what is really needed is a re-vitalised national strategy to drive down smoking rates much further.

"The Federal Government must reinvigorate a national tobacco control program. We know that tobacco control measures are overwhelmingly popular with voters, yet so far in this campaign we have seen no proposals for addressing the major driver of chronic disease.

"We know the damage that smoking does to the human body. We may have reduced the national smoking rate to below 20 per cent, but close to one in five Australians are still poisoning their bodies and putting the health of those around them at risk.

"Certain groups in the community still have higher smoking rates, and we still have thousands of schoolkids taking up the habit every week. It is a major concern that there is so little currently available by way of national adolescent QUIT programs and dedicated support to help young people quit.

"A recent report showed that 30 per cent of pregnant women in Tasmania smoke, and that is totally unacceptable.

"Smoking rates amongst Indigenous people contribute to their shortened life expectancy. We need to focus on campaigns that will be effective for Indigenous Australians.

"The new graphic health warnings on cigarette packs are an important initiative, but there is more that needs to be done.

"The major parties have an opportunity in this election campaign to tell voters they are serious about providing national leadership to address Australia's major cause of preventable death and disease.

"The AMA is calling on the major parties to commit to a serious public health strategy to tackle tobacco use.

"The political message is simple - SMOKING KILLS."

Smoking is one of the major public health issues raised in Key Health Issues for the 2007 Federal Election.

The AMA has set out some immediate tasks to assist the next Federal Government to provide national leadership in making Australia a smoke-free community:

• There should be real increases in the rate of tobacco taxation, as tax (and the related price effect) is a powerful deterrent for smoking. The duty free exemption for tobacco products should end,
  
  
• All political parties and candidates should refuse to accept donations from tobacco companies,
  
  
• Smoking in cars carrying children should be outlawed nationally immediately,
  
  
• Children's exposure to films and television programs that promote or glamorise smoking should be reduced,
  
  
• Federal legislation banning the importation of flavoured cigarettes, such as fruit and chocolate, should be introduced as soon as possible, and
  
  
• Smokers should be encouraged and supported to quit at every opportunity, and interventions that help people to quit smoking should be affordable and cost less than cigarettes.

Key Health Issues for the 2007 Federal Election can be viewed via the link.