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Politicians are responsible
for passing laws that can effectively protect and improve public health,
save many thousands of lives, and reduce the great burden of disease
and costs caused by tobacco products.
Despite these great legislative powers, smoking still remains the
single, largest preventable cause of death and disability in Australia - killing more
people than the COMBINED deaths caused by road accidents, alcohol, all illicit drugs,
all homicide, AIDS and more.
Start by reading
our Politicians'
guide Updated
April 2009
Here's what every MP and candidate should know
about our No. 1 preventable health problem and our No. 1 drug issue.
Here's where you keep in touch with health and economic
priorities - and community attitudes.
See below
for LATEST NEWS from the
political front, some KEY ISSUES
in the fight against tobacco, and information RESOURCES.
ASH Australia publishes (sometimes with other organisations) a series of
tobacco facts for MPs (NEW,
Feb 2010: tax, social marketing, plain packaging) These are factsheets on the latest
health, legal and economic evidence to support our call for a smokefree
Australia by 2017. See
Health
groups' media release 5/9/07
Have a look also at the
misleading conduct by the tobacco companies - particularly how they
try to misinform and manipulate politicians.
One important note:
ASH Australia is strictly non-party political. We encourage all
parties and individuals to support anti-tobacco measures supported by
independent evidence and backed strongly by community
opinion.
LATEST
NEWS
see also our media
releases and
smokefree
workplace news
Tobacco's
$31b drain on Australian economy
9/4/08: Tobacco is responsible for more
than $31b a year in costs to the Australian community, says a new report
from the National Drug Strategy. NTS
Monograph 66, summary report Costs
of tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug abuse to Australian society in
2004/05
Tobacco is responsible
each year for:
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Around
15,000 deaths, including 36 aged under 15.
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56%
of total drug abuse costs - more than alcohol and all other drugs
combined.
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Over
$15b in workplace costs - twice as much as alcohol and all other
drugs combined.
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Over
$12b in crime costs - more than alcohol or any other drug.
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Over
750,000 hospital bed days - around 8% of them by children under 15.
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Over
$600m hospital costs.
Election call for strong
national leadership against tobacco
see AMA
media release 7/11/07
Australians
want governments to act
16/10/07: A new survey of public opinion
shows Australians more and more strongly support effective action to
stem tobacco use. See AMA/ACOSH
media release 16/10/07
Greens prioritise tobacco issue
18/9/07: Greens candidate for Bennelong Lindsay Peters declares war on
our No. 1 drug problem. See
Greens
media release Sept 07
Call for smokefree
future
5/9/07: Leading health groups have called for Australia to become
effectively smokefree in ten years. It can be done - with the political
will. See Health
groups' media release 5/9/07
KEY ISSUES
see also our Politicians'
guide
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Funding of the
fight against tobacco is very low - lower per capita than comparable
countries, lower than other less devastating health problems, and
much lower than the scale of the tobacco problem demands.
Anti-smoking campaigns are proven highly cost-effective - but need
adequate funding. See
all the facts on realistic
funding
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Protecting
children from tobacco - both secondhand smoke and promotion - is
a high priority. Talk of "nanny state" and smoking
being an "adult choice" is nonsense when 90% of smokers
are already addicted before they turn 18. The community wants
children protected - with measures like banning tobacco retail
display and making cars carrying children smokefree. See
Protecting
children from tobacco
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Smokefree
workplaces are still not universal and long overdue. We
need to support occupational health and safety consistently - and
stop listening to lame excuses for making
an exception for harmful tobacco smoke. See
Smokefree
Australia workplace coalition site
RESOURCES
Framework Convention
on Tobacco Control
Australia has ratified this international treaty. See
summary of Governments'
responsibilities to the FCTC
Health effects of
smoking
See brief
summary (2007) from The Cancer Council NSW - and note that the
evidence is growing all the time!
Economics
of tobacco control
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Sept
2004 study in Medical Journal of Australia says
reducing smoking rates could save a billion-dollar blowout in PBS
heart drug subsidies. See ASH/Heart
Foundation media release 5/9/04 See
study
abstract
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June 2004
macroeconomic study by Junor et al, commissioned by Cancer Council
NSW, shows that tobacco prevention does not “penalise the poor”.
In fact, tobacco use hits poorest families hardest and well-designed
tobacco control strategies can benefit them most of all. See the
Junor et al (2004) study at www.cancercouncil.com.au/editorial.asp?pageid=1891
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Major report summarising the
cost-effective evidence and reasons why governments need to commit
more funds to reduce smoking rates. Endorsed by major health and
medical groups, tobacco control is a blue
chip investment in public health, 2001
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Refer to Tobaccopedia's
long list of economic reports
including the World Bank's call for more action by governments to
curb the tobacco epidemic.
Operation
Berkshire
Australian research revealing how
the international tobacco conspiracy
was formed, implemented and played
out in Australia to delay tobacco reform for decades.
Smuggling
Report
What MPs should know about tobacco smuggling, the involvement of the
tobacco industry and what needs to be done to reduce tax evasion and
illegal conduct.
Tobacco
Facts for MPs factsheets
(latest at top)
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TAX:
February 2010 - for Federal MPs
Why raise tobacco tax?; public support; what needs doing?; current
pricing; closing the disadvantage gap; impact on adult and youth
smoking; countering industry myths.
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PLAIN
PACKS: February 2010 - for Federal MPs
What is plain packaging?; the pack, brand image and target
audience; impact on health warnings; perceptions of quality and
strength; countering industry threats; meeting Australia's
obligations.
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SOCIAL
MARKETING: February 2010 - for Federal MPs
Why is it important?; impact on children; what works; return on
investment; how much is needed?; meeting our treaty obligations.
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Winter
2007 - for NSW MPs
Loopholes threaten falls in smoking rates; weak "smokefree"
pub/club laws an improvement but leave workers, patrons at risk; protect children from tobacco
advertising in shops; time to reform political donations.
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Spring
2006 - for Federal, State and Territory MPs
Moving tobacco out of sight will protect children; shop displays
predispose child smoking; tobacco sellers' shonky arguments
against display bans; community supports out-of-sight sale.
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Autumn
2006 - for NSW MPs
NSW caves in to gambling lobby to undermine "smokefree"
bars promise; deaths, illness for bar workers - Phil Edge case;
call for remaining smoky areas to be unserviced.
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Spring
2005 - for NSW MPs.
"Australians behind bars face death penalty" - call for
faster and tighter smoke bans in licensed venues; benefits of
clearing the air now; majority say bans too slow.
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Dec 2004 - for
Federal MPs.
Federal action urged to stop health cost blowout; ACCC's long
delay over Lights; cig fire law needed; 205,000 kids
smoking weekly; world treaty
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June
2004 - for Federal MPs.
Health warnings must tell whole truth - Federal Government
urged: don't cave in; budget's lost opportunity
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May
2004 - for NSW MPs.
NSW bar workers dying for clean air; venues accept ban as inevitable; WorkCover's
blind eye to danger
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April
2003 - for Federal MPs.
Tobacco's $21b national bill - triple costs of illicit
drugs; passive smoke kills 200+pa; graphic warnings work; Philip
Morris guilty
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March
2003 - for NSW MPs.
NSW elections: tobacco big issue; health costs blowout; push for smokefree pubs & clubs;
tobacco marketing to youth
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July
2002 - for NSW MPs.
NSW media campaign call, health inequality, new WHO report
confirms passive smoke carcinogenic
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June
2002 - for Federal MPs.
Consumer fraud, cover-ups, deception - has the tobacco
industry changed? NB McCabe case lost on appeal since publication.
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February
2002 - Health leaders urge funding boost to save lives, health and
money
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November
2001 - smoking: Australia's worst serial killer
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May
2001 - detrimental effects of passive smoking beyond doubt
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October
2000 - smoking causes blindness
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May
2000 - smoking harms your sex life
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April
2000 - Economic myths of smoking
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March
2000 - women and smoking
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March
2000 - smoking costs $12.7 billion each year . . . . and guess who
pays?
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February
2000 - states explore law suits, tobacco companies in denial.
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December
1999 - our wish to reduce smoking rates by 15% by 2005
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October
1999 - lung cancer: NSW biggest cancer killer
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September
1999 - Health effects of passive smoking
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August
1999 - tobacco advertising ban. Who profits from kids smoking?
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