ASH Australia: 
information for businesses and workplaces

 
   

This page has (follows the links):

CAMPAIGNS on workplace / business - related tobacco issues;
latest RESEARCH on the impact of smoking and secondhand smoke (passive smoking) on workplace health and business costs;
and RESOURCES for more information or taking useful action. 

See our new Tobacco and investment backgrounder !

 

CAMPAIGNS

Get tobacco out of sight - and protect kids
The strong case for out-of-sight sales and seller registration. See our new Tobacco Facts for Retailers

SmokeFree Australia campaign for smokefree workplaces
Secondhand (passive) smoke kills more than 200 Australians a year and costs $47m in health costs alone. Workers in smoky venues - and there are still many of these - risk death, disability and illness. A coalition of union and health groups wants all Australian workplaces smokefree immediately. 
Click on this logo to see latest research, political and legal developments on this issue...

 

RESEARCH

Smoking increases sick leave
April 2007: Study in Tobacco Control journal    
See  full study in Tobacco Control, April 2007    See CNN media report 1/8/07 

Tobacco's $3.5b a year bill to business  
2002: National study shows tobacco smoking costs Australia a staggering $21 billion a year in health, business and social costs. Costs to business alone are over $3.5 billion a year.  See table 32 on p.62.

More research on the costs of smoking in the workplace
2001: Smoking status has a major impact on workplace absenteeism and productivity, according to this study: Halpern, MT et al. Tobacco Control 2001; 10:233-238.  

See also  US study on how smoking in the workplace costs employers money.

Smoke bans do NO harm to business
See SmokeFree Australia for latest research on this from Australia and all over the world. 

RESOURCES

ASH has compiled the resources below for businesses on:

  • why tobacco is a bad investment;
  • how workplace smoking is undermining business profits;
  • how businesses can improve productivity by going smokefree;
  • how retailers can easily comply with the law and avoid prosecutions for illegal supply to children and/or  engaging in the illicit tobacco trade; and
  • how to implement a smokefree workplace policy.

Tobacco and investment (September 2007)
A one-page A4 pdf backgrounder on why it makes no sense to sink good money into a dying and disreputable industry

Tobacco Facts for Unions (September 2002)
Fact sheet on the need for smoke-free workplaces. Read about: 
- Big Tobacco's furtive campaign to frustrate hospitality workers' rights to a healthy environment; 
- new evidence of health harm from passive smoke; 
- clear public support for smoke bans; and more...

Tobacco Facts for Business (June 2002)
Informative newsletter with research and developments.
- Business bears $1.5b burden of smoking costs (note this figure has risen: see above);
- Smoky venues face legal costs and lost trade; and more...

Providing a safe workplace: the law
A smoky workplace is unhealthy and unsafe. See this roundup (as at November 2002) of Commonwealth, State and Territory laws setting out your duty of care as an employer. 

TobaccoScam - new US site showing Big Tobacco manipulation of the restaurant industry worldwide. Don't be scammed by tobacco industry manipulation. Read about the great ventilation hoax (view Here ), fake economics and other tactics to stall smoke bans. 


The benefits to businesses of smokefree policies 

How to create a smokefree workplace

Australia: Going smokefree: workplace recommendations   
From the Cancer Council NSW - how to implement a smokefree workplace policy. 

US: Making your workplace smokefree: a decision-maker's guide 
From the US National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and health Promotion. Lots of very good background and tips, some of it a bit US-specific.


Tobacco smuggling and illicit tobacco trade
, known as "chop chop" is on the rise, despite prosecutions and heavy fines. The Australian Tax Office has a hot line 1800 060 062 or email illegaltobacco@ato.gov.au with information about suspected tobacco smuggling or sales of "chop chop". 


Tobacco sales to minors
Access to cigarettes by children is still a major problem despite laws that fine retailers for the illegal supply of cigarettes to young people under 18.

 

 
 

Page last updated on 28/9/07