Media release: 24 February, 2004
Australian study says indoor smoke bans the only safe solution for pubs/clubs
Hospitality
unions and health groups are stepping up their campaign for urgent smoking bans
in licensed venues, following the publication of a new Australian study panning
separate rooms as ineffective.
The study, published today in the British
Medical Journal’s Tobacco Control, has found that ‘no-smoking’
areas in licensed clubs contain as much poisonous smoke as do smoking areas. The
South East Sydney Area Health Service and Cancer Council NSW study showed that
even completely separate ‘no-smoking’ rooms do not significantly reduce the
level of harmful tobacco toxins in the venue’s air.
The SmokeFree Australia coalition of trade
union and health groups has called for all state and territory governments to
rule out solutions to the secondhand smoke health risk based on separation and
ventilation. Says coalition
spokesperson Anne Jones of ASH Australia:
“Current government reviews of smokefree
legislation and regulation need to look closely at this study and reject
outright proposals fostered by the tobacco industry aimed at avoiding total
smoke bans.
“Suggestions to proprietors that they
should try to hold off smokefree policies by creating separate areas and vamping
up ventilation are doomed to expensive failure,” she says.
“Countries
like Ireland and New Zealand have implemented total indoor smoke bans in all
workplaces, including licensed venues, to take effect this year – while
Australian states have dithered and delayed. Meanwhile hospitality workers –
including musicians and entertainers – continue to be exposed to dangerous
levels of tobacco smoke exposure, making nonsense of our occupational health and
safety laws.
“The
time is long past for gradualist, partial or phased-in policies – governments
including the Commonwealth must bite the bullet and end this absurdity quickly.
They must stand up for employee and public health against the tobacco-allied
vested interests.”
See the study
abstract
Comment:
Anne Jones
ph. 0417-227-879
Media
info/comment:
Stafford Sanders
ph. (02) 9334-1823
SmokeFree Australia coalition
for clean safe workplaces:
Liquor,
Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers’ Union; Musicians’ Union of Australia; Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; Australian Council of
Trade Unions; Action on Smoking and Health Australia; The Cancer Council
Australia; National Heart Foundation of Australia; Australian Council on Smoking
and Health; Non-Smokers’ Movement of Australia; Australian Medical
Association.