Media release: August 13, 2005
NSW
gambling impact groups have joined with health and employee organisations in
calling on the new Premier and the Ministers for Health and Gaming to ensure
gaming venues become quickly smokefree - to end secondhand smoke harm to
gamblers’ health.
Since
partial smoke bans came into force in NSW last month, gaming rooms set aside as
smoking rooms have increased harm to many gamblers and staff in these areas.
And
proposals being considered by the government would allow mostly-enclosed and
serviced smoking areas to continue even after the long July-2007 “smokefree”
licensed venues deadline.
The
NSW Council on Problem Gambling and the Gambling Impact Society of NSW have
joined with the SmokeFree Australia coalition* to urge Premier Morris Iemma,
Health Minister John Hatzistergos and Gaming Minister Grant McBride to implement
a responsible gaming policy to ensure staff and patrons in gaming areas are
fully protected from the serious harm caused by secondhand smoke.
Says Dr Clive Allcock,
President of the Council on Problem Gambling:
“If smoking continues to be permitted in mostly-enclosed areas, the
experience of the partial bans so far is that many venues will put gaming
machines in these areas. The result
will be to expose problem gamblers, who
gamble longer and more often than regular gamblers, to a proportionally greater
risk than that faced by regular gamblers of diseases such as heart attacks,
cancer and other ills caused by smoking."
Kate
Roberts, Chairperson of the Gambling Impact Society (NSW) Inc adds:
“It would be unfair and irresponsible to exploit gamblers and continue
harming their health in pursuit of perceived gaming profits. Gamblers are
entitled to the same health protection other citizens enjoy.”
The
SmokeFree Australia coalition is particularly concerned with the health harm to
workers in gaming areas. The coalition has criticised the long delay in total
indoor bans, and proposals to weaken the bans by allowing mostly-enclosed
smoking rooms.
Says
coalition co-ordinator Stafford Sanders: “No-one should be expected to work in
smoky areas, however enclosed or not. Hospitality workers have already copped
enough damage from this workplace hazard – it’s time they were given the
same protection other workers enjoy.”
Comment:
Dr Clive Allcock, NSW Council on Problem Gambling
ph. (02)
9840-3000 m.
0419-974-592
Kate Roberts, Gambling
Impact Society (NSW) Inc
ph.
(02) 4448-8023
Comment
/ media info:
Stafford Sanders, SmokeFree Australia
ph. (02) 9334-1823
m. 0412-070-194
* 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; Asthma and Allergy Research Institute.