Media release: June 28, 2006
Secondhand tobacco smoke kills and should be immediately eliminated from
all workplaces, says a new US Surgeon General's Report on secondhand smoke
released today (June 28).
In
Australia, employee and health groups have responded by calling on states and
territories to end ineffective partial bans and to not merely reduce but
eliminate smoking from all working areas – as Tasmania has done and Queensland
will do by this weekend.
The
comprehensive report, released in Washington DC early this morning (0100hrs AEST)*,
is the first Surgeon General's report on the health harms of secondhand
smoke since 1986, and its conclusions reflect the latest scientific evidence
about secondhand smoke. The US
Surgeon General’s Report in 1964 was a landmark in establishing the serious
harm caused by tobacco smoke.
Says
Stafford Sanders, co-ordinator of the SmokeFree Australia coalition**:
“State and territory governments that have not yet fully addressed the health
risks of involuntary smoking in pubs, clubs and gaming areas need to urgently
review their policies in the light of this report. It consolidates much of the
new evidence on secondhand smoke harm that was not available even a year ago,
when some governments made their most recent decisions to delay or weaken
smoking bans.
“It
also highlights that even brief exposure has immediate adverse effects on
health.
“This
Saturday (July 1), Queensland will move to a new stage of its smokefree
workplace laws, banning smoking from all indoor areas including pubs and clubs,
following Tasmania’s ban from January this year.
“Tasmania
and Queensland have taken reasonable steps to get smoking genuinely outdoors and
separate it from working areas; other jurisdictions have caved in to the
gambling lobby – as a result, thousands of Australian workers are going to
work every day or evening in environments best described as deathtraps.
“It’s
time for these jurisdictions to end their partial bans, which this report
confirms don’t eliminate exposure. These governments need to take action to
ensure that all work areas are made totally smokefree – now. The public is
overwhelmingly onside, and independent evidence shows businesses will not
suffer.
“To
ignore the clear message of this report and other recent evidence on secondhand
smoke – on its impact on meningococcal disease, diabetes, osteoporosis,
fertility and more – would constitute an irresponsible failure to respond to
an urgent issue of public health and occupational safety.”
*
Report, summaries and news conference soundbites at
www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr_2006/index.htm
Comment:
Stafford Sanders, SmokeFree Australia
ph. (02) 9334-1823 m.
0412-070-194
Anne Jones, ASH / Smokefree Australia
ph. (02) 9334-1876; m.
0417-227-879
* 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.