SMOKEFREE WORKPLACE NEWS 

Media inquiries:         Stafford Sanders        Ph. (02) 9334-1823     m. 0412-070-194     email  staffords@ashaust.org.au


On this page:   

STOP PRESS     
SMOKEFREE AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASES    
NATIONAL NEWS     
INTERNATIONAL NEWS

See latest Australian and overseas... 
HEALTH RESEARCH
ECONOMIC RESEARCH
EFFECTS  of smokefree laws
LEGISLATION 

THINK SMOKEFREE PUBS AND CLUBS HAVE BEEN WON? THINK AGAIN!
In several Australian states and territories, weak smokefree laws are being rorted - at the expense of public health and work safety.   
END THE UNHEALTHY LOOPHOLES 

ARE YOU BEING EXPOSED TO SECONDHAND SMOKE IN YOUR WORKPLACE? Call us NOW on (02) 9334-1823    and see Taking Action


STOP PRESS:      

South Australia one year on: smokefree bars backed by public, smokers, managers
1/11/08: A year after coming into effect, South Australia's law making totally enclosed areas of pubs and clubs smokefree has the support of over 90% of the public, 86% of bar managers and 72% of smokers. A survey by the SA government and Cancer Council also points to growing community awareness, high compliance, and increased manager awareness of OHS implications.  See  SA government media release 1/11/08 

Safe workplaces mean getting rid of the smoke
 20/10/08: Employee and health groups during Safe Work Australia Week have urged all Australian governments to get Australian workplaces smokefree. The Smokefree Australia coalition says secondhand smoke exposure remains a serious OHS issue - one that can and should be fixed.  See  SmokeFree Australia media release 20/10/08

SMOKEFREE AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASES:

20/10/08 Safe workplaces mean getting rid of the smoke
15/8/08 "Outdoor" smoking areas in pubs and clubs a health hazard
15/7/08 National action needed for smokefree al fresco dining
5/5/08 Passive bar smoke damages cells, vessels in 30mins
22/2/08 Call for Rudd Government to invoke treaty to clamp down on smoky workplaces
15/9/07 Health hazard in partly-enclosed pub smoking areas
7/8/07 Hotels Association misleads over smoke ban impact as "smokefree" rorts continue
30/6/07 Pub/club smoke ban far from total and still not safe
8/5/07 Bar, dining workers face dangerous smoke exposure, even "outdoors"
6/2/07 Australian workers facing double lung cancer risk
4/10/06 Barworkers seek premiers' help against smoke danger
30/6/06 NSW committee fails to act against smoky deathtraps
28/6/06 Ban deadly secondhand smoke from workplaces: report
13/6/06 Bar/gaming workers still exposed to cancerous smoke
6/6/06 Pub smoke doubles teenage meningococcal risk: study
7/4/06 Secondhand smoke may trigger diabetes: study
29/3/06 NSW parliament shamed by smoky loophole cave-in
7/3/06 NSW set to rubber-stamp unsafe workplaces
10/2/06 NSW leaves pub/club workers choking in smoke
21/11/05 Barworker's passive cancer case win highlights smokefree urgency
16/11/05 Lung sufferer: don't bar me by smoky regulation
17/10/05 Smokefree Irish bars protect workers - and smokers approve
20/9/05 Children, job health, pub sales will benefit from smokefree venues
13/9/05 Lung sufferer pleads for smokefree pubs/clubs
13/8/05 Call for smokefree gambling to protect health
15/7/05 Barworkers choke on smoke in partial ban shambles
25/5/05 NSW, Vic warned to close dangerous smoky pub/club loopholes
10/5/05 Vic "smokefree" bill will let passive harm continue
15/4/05 Passive smoking testosterone harm to young men
9/3/05 No staff should work in smoky areas
9/2/05 "Smokefree" bans will still allow smoky venues
10/12/04 Breast cancer concern prompts call for quicker smokefree venues
2/12/04 Smoke bans should go further to protect asthmatics
12/10/04 NSW, VIC announce smokefree pubs/clubs but delayed to mid-07
30/9/04 Musicians urge immediate pub/club smoke ban
22/9/04 Tasmania takes the lead on smokefree venues
6/9/04 Health/union coalition welcomes Qld smokefree pubs move '06
31/8/04 Call for Carr to end the pub smoke quickly
23/8/04 Tas Libs' smokefree pubs move will save lives
19/8/04 Secondhand smoke tar gets into smaller airways
5/8/04 Beattie government urged: get pubs & clubs smokefree ASAP
29/6/04 WorkCoverNSW: "Watching out for you" - unless you're a bar worker
29/5/04 Big names urge Carr government to "make pub smoking history"
17/3/04 "WorkCoverup" over smoke poisons in bars
11/3/04 Smoke ban slashes bar workers' toxic intake
24/2/04 "No-smoking" areas are not no-smoke
4/12/03 All NZ workplaces will be smokefree in 12 months
19/11/03 2008 deadline would betray ACT workers and public
19/11/03 Workplace ministers must act against smoky pubs
31/10/03 Hoteliers urged: put health first, get pubs smokefree
28/10/03 Tas decision leaves bar workers in smoky limbo
17/10/03 AMA calls for immediate end to smoky workplaces
16/10/03 States told: smoky rooms unhealthy and illegal
15/10/03 Working party must bring quick end to smoky venues
6/10/03 Two-thirds majority support smokefree NSW pubs
4/10/03 Casino blames smoke bans for smoky room loss
25/9/03 Workcover must act against passive smoke
1/9/03 Protest urges NSW government to protect workers and patrons
1/8/03 New study confirms passive smoke-emphysema link
1/7/03 Problem gambling services back smokefree venues
24/6/03 Smoking bans have not harmed New York hotels
4/6/03 Support for smokefree pubs & clubs jumps nearly 20%
5/5/03 Boston pubs, clubs, taverns all smokefree from today
17/4/03 Second-hand smoke injuries and claims increasing
13/4/03 Call to end delays over smokefree pubs and clubs 
15/3/03 Call for Irish pubs to go smokefree for St. Pat's Day
25/2/03 Smokefree bars don't lose business
13/2/03 Passive smoke kills 200 a year and tobacco costs rise
15/12/02 New study links second-hand smoke to cancers in lungs of women
4/12/02 Norway eliminates smoke from all workplaces - why not Australia?
4/11/02 SmokeFree '03 campaign launched


Other smokefree news from Australia and the world:  

NATIONAL NEWS   

National action needed for smokefree al fresco dining
 15/7/08: SmokeFree Australia has urged federal and state/territory governments to play their part in making outdoor dining areas smokefree - as Queensland and seven Sydney councils have done.  See  SmokeFree Australia media release 15/7/08

40% of quitters say smokefree bars and clubs helped
30/6/08: 4 of every 10 people who quit smoking say smokefree changes in pubs and clubs have helped them do it, says new research from the Cancer Council Victoria. For smokers under 30, the rate was even higher: 45%.  See  Cancer Council Victoria media release 30/6/08

2020 summit call for Rudd to lead cleanup of smoky workplaces
 7/4/08: In a submission to the Australia 2020 Summit, SmokeFree Australia has urged the Rudd Government to co-ordinate action to fix weak loopholes in state and territory smokefree workplace laws.    See  SmokeFree Australia 2020 submission 7/4/08   see  SmokeFree Australia media release 22/2/08    END THE UNHEALTHY LOOPHOLES



 AUSTRALIA: STATES AND TERRITORIES 
See update on State and Territory deadlines and legislation at our Australian Law page 

NT:
 Call for Northern Territory to catch up 
2/11/07: Health organisations in the Northern Territory have urged their government to catch up with the rest of Australia, after the Territory became the only jurisdiction not to have banned smoking from totally enclosed areas of pubs and clubs. South Australia was the second-last to adopt this measure, on October 31.  See  NT health groups' release 2/11/07

NSW:  
 Judgment stems "fudge" of weak NSW smokefree workplace law
 19/9/08:  A judgment against Dubbo RSL Club by the NSW Supreme Court has stemmed an attempt to evade the intent of NSW's smokefree places laws by tacking on an outdoor garden to an enclosed gaming room as part of its "unenclosed" requirement. Commenting in NSW Parliament, former Cancer Minister Frank Sartor said he was "disappointed that pubs and clubs have not played by the rules and are still trying to reinterpret them to suit themselves."  See  NSW Supreme Court judgment 19/9/08  SmokeFree Australia believes most partly-enclosed smoking areas are a serious threat to public health and OH&S (see below) and should be effectively separated and unstaffed. 

"Outdoor" smoking areas in pubs and clubs a health hazard
 15/8/08: A new study has found more than half the partly-enclosed smoking areas of NSW licensed venues are over recommended smoke exposure limits - they're a threat to public health and occupational safety. SmokeFree Australia has called for immediate separation of all smoking from all working areas.  See  SmokeFree Australia media release 15/8/08  with link to air quality study presentation

Vic:
Smoked out: big tobacco's deals in clubland
11/7/08: Tobacco companies are paying Victorian pubs and clubs commissions for selling tobacco - showing the kind of connection that's frustrated and weakened smokefree pub and club laws.  See  Melbourne Age report 11/7/08 

Qld: 
Queensland moves for national ban on high roller smoking
 26/5/08: The Queensland government has moved for a nationwide ban on smoking in "high roller" gaming rooms. These rooms, exempt from smokefree workplace laws in some states and territories, pose a serious health risk to gaming room employees and patrons. The move was announced among a raft of tobacco control measures following strong support in a public review.  See  Qld Premier/Minister media release 26/5/08    Why we should  END THE UNHEALTHY LOOPHOLES

Queensland minister says gaming hiccup outweighed by health gains 
5/8/07: Queensland's Deputy Premier and Treasurer Anna Bligh has said in a refreshing change from usual pollies' bleating about gambling losses from smoke bans, acknowledging a revenue hiccup: "We are in no way disappointed with any revenue drop. Every dollar we miss here is more than made up by what we won't have to spend on smoking-related health matters now and in the future."  See extract of her  media release

SA: 
One year on: smokefree bars backed by public, smokers, managers
 1/11/08: A year after coming into effect, South Australia's law making totally enclosed areas of pubs and clubs smokefree has the support of over 90% of the public, 86% of bar managers and 72% of smokers. A survey by the SA government and Cancer Council also points to growing community awareness, high compliance, and increased manager awareness of OHS implications.  See  SA government media release 1/11/08 

WA:  
Smokefree WA pubs and clubs popular with patrons and help quitters
17/1/07: A new Curtin University survey in Western Australia shows smokefree licensed venue laws introduced in July 2006 have attracted patrons, have deterred few smokers from going out - but encouraged many to quit smoking.  See Cancer Council WA media release 17/1/07    See survey backgrounder and summary    These results mirror findings from elsewhere in Australia and all over the world: see our  economics  and  effectiveness  pages

ACT: 
ACT to make outdoor bars, cafes smokefree
 31/5/06: The ACT government has signalled it will follow Queensland and Tasmania and make outdoor bars, cafes and some other places smokefree - though giving no timetable. ACT had been sharply criticised for allowing licensed areas as much as 75% enclosed to be called "outdoor" but now says it wants to move to the next step.  Canberra Times  31/5/06, p.1

Tas: 
Smokefree Tassie pubs doing fine, 2 years on
 12/10/08: A study of trade in Tasmanian pubs shows they have not suffered any loss of business, two years after smokefree laws covering totally enclosed areas. The study, from UTAS Innovation for the Cancer Council Tasmania, showed more people attended pubs more often, and an initial drop in gaming revenue had recovered.  See  Sunday Tasmanian report 12/10/08  

 


INTERNATIONAL NEWS    See World Summary March 2005

World:  
Smokefree laws cut almost a fifth of heart attack hospitalisations
30/6/08: A new report in the British Medical Journal reviewing worldwide research evidence shows smokefree workplace laws have reduced by 19% the hospital admissions for heart attacks in places where the changes are in effect.  See  the report

Smoking bans help health and quitting and don't hurt business: WHO report 
29/6/08: New reports from scientists at the World Health Organisation say smokefree legislation prevents heart disease, helps quitting and protects children.  See  Reuters report 29/6/08

Secondhand smoke causes blood, cell damage in  30 minutes: study
2/5/08: A new study of smoke in bars shows significant damage to blood vessels and stem cells. And the University of California (San Francisco) study says the harm can happen within 30 minutes of exposure. SmokeFree Australia is urging all Australian governments to tighten smokefree workplace laws following the study. See  UCSF media release 2/5/08    See study abstract    See  SmokeFree Australia media release 5/5/08     END THE UNHEALTHY LOOPHOLES

Canada:  
 Two more Canadian provinces smokefree as passive cancer waitress dies
27/5/06: Quebec and Ontario bars have gone indoor-smokefree as former waitress and smokefree campaigner Heather Crowe died from cancer believed caused by her smoky workplace. See Canadian press report 27/5/06   Note how Ontario effectively bans fake partly-enclosed "outdoor" areas - unlike most Australian states:  Smokefree Ontario Act   See Heather Crowe feature from  Canada press

 

Irish Republic: 
Irish heart attacks cut 11% by smoke bans
 4/9/07: Heart attacks in the Irish Republic fell by 11% in the year after a nationwide ban on smoking in workplaces, including pubs. Authors of the study from Cork University Hospital said it should encourage health authorities to look at extending bans.  See  Reuters report 4/9/07

 

Smokefree Irish pubs improve health
16/4/07: The Irish Republic's smokefree pub laws have cut air pollution in pubs and improved barworkers' health, a study has found. The March 2004 bans have led to an 83% reduction in air pollution and an 80% cut in cancer-causing agents - leading to improved lung function in workers, says the study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.   See  BBC report 16/4/07 

 

Italy: 
Tobacco sales fall after smoke ban
5/1/06: Italian cigarette sales have fallen more than 10% in the year since the January 2005 ban on smoking in bars and other public places, according to the tobacco vendors' trade association, Assotabaccai.  See report in  Bloomberg News, 5/1/06

NZ:
 Health hazard in partly-enclosed pub smoking areas
 15/9/07: Another study has shown partly-enclosed "outdoor" smoking areas are a health hazard to workers and patrons. The NZ study, presented to an international conference, shows smoke levels in these areas up to four times WHO-recommended safe levels. SmokeFree Australia has called for all states to ensure minimum separation of smoking from working (including eating and gaming) areas.   See  SmokeFree Australia media release 15/9/07

Sweden:
Workers healthier in smokefree Swedish bars
 16/2/07: One year after smokefree workplace changes, Swedish bar and restaurant workers are much less exposed to secondhand smoke and are showing significant health improvements, says a new study from the country's National Institute of Public Health.   See  summary and contact

UK:  
Surge in UK quit rate follows smokefree change
 29/1/08:  There's been a 28% increase in successful quit attempts through the UK National Health Service in the wake of the July 2007 bans on smoking in fully enclosed public places. The overall British smoking rate has fallen to its lowest-ever level of 22%, though this was falling before the new law.   See  BBC News report 29/1/08  


There'll always be an England... despite the pro-smoking lobby's predictions
October 2007: England's total indoor smoke ban from July 1 is already delivering great results - despite the usual doom-and-gloom predictions from the hotel lobby. Check out this review of how things have really turned out for health, quitting, and business.  ASH UK report 10/07      Employee exposure falls 95% and no loss of trade: see news of study presented to cancer conference  UK Guardian report 1/10/07  See also other great health outcomes (Sept 07):  bar workers benefit in  Scotland  and  11% heart attack drop in  Irish Republic

 

Scots bar workers benefit from smokefree pubs
11/9/07: Scots bar workers have had their smoke exposure reduced by almost 90%, are having fewer respiratory health problems and are smoking less a year after Scotland's indoor-smokefree pub laws came into effect, says a new study from the University of Aberdeen.   See  media report 11/9/07 with link to study     

 

USA:  
 Smoke bans halve non-smoker heart hospitalisations: study
19/11/07: Indoor smoke bans in eating, drinking and working spaces have reduced heart-related hospital admissions of non-smokers by 59% in a study across two US counties. The Indiana University study, in the Journal of Drug Education, surveyed more than 35,000 hospitalisations, comparing admissions in comparable counties - one with smoke bans and one without.  See study abstract  and  Newswise report 19/11/07 


Even brief exposure can increase workers' cancer risk: study
28/6/07: Brief exposure to secondhand smoke in bars and restaurants can increase workers' risk of cancer, says a new study in the American Journal of Public Health. It confirms earlier studies pointing to passive exposure leading to higher risks of cancer as well as other health harm.  See  study abstract

 Outdoor exposure significant: tobacco a "toxic air contaminant"
22/5/07:  US report from Air Resources Board (California) says exposure to secondhand smoke even in outdoor areas adjacent to smoking areas has been monitored at levels comparable to household exposure - i.e. proven harmful and potentially deadly. The report lists tobacco smoke outdoors as a "toxic air contaminant."  See report at  www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/ets/finalreport/finalreport.htm  See major findings on SHS health harm   

 

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