SmokeSignals
February
2010
Latest Tobacco News Online from ASH Australia
Smoke Signals
is a monthly update from Action on Smoking and Health Australia
(ASH) –
to keep health
professionals in tobacco control in touch with the latest issues and
developments.
Suggestions and comments are welcome - please contact us by
emailing
Stafford Sanders (ASH Communications) at staffords@ashaust.org.au.
See other RESOURCES
FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS - guidelines, reports, useful sites.
MAORI
INQUIRY PUTS TOBACCO INDUSTRY UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
The New Zealand
Government's Maori Affairs inquiry has received hundreds of submissions
(including from ASH Australia) calling for tobacco control reforms
towards the NZ vision of ending commercial sales of tobacco by 2020. The
Maori Party is at the forefront of debate to end tobacco sales, as
tobacco has damaged the health and self-determination of Maori people.
See
ASH
Australia submission
See all
submissions
TOBACCO
INDUSTRY “SKEWED” FINDINGS ON ALZHEIMER’S LINK
The
latest of many examples of how the tobacco industry has acted to cover
up health evidence for long periods. A new review of evidence has
confirmed link between smoking and Alzheimer's Disease - and says
tobacco industry-associated research has "skewed" findings on
the link for over 20 years. See
Tobacco
Industry News
N.T.
ACTS TO GET WORKPLACES SMOKEFREE
See
SmokeFree
Australia workplace news
Totally
enclosed areas of Northern Territory pubs and clubs are now smokefree by
law - and the NT government has promised to make outdoor staffed eating
and drinking areas smokefree by January 2011. The NT government says
while licensed venues will be able to designate up to 50% of their
outdoor space as smoking areas, these areas are not to be used for
gambling, live entertainment or for consuming meals or serving drinks. A
government consultative taskforce is working on the details. See
chart
showing where
Australian states and territories are up to in getting workplaces
smokefree. Qld, NT and ACT lead the table, with NSW in last place
…
AS RESEARCH EVIDENCE MOUNTS ON SECONDHAND HARM
See
SmokeFree
Australia workplace news
The
case for 100% smokefree dining, drinking, entertainment and other areas
has been further boosted by latest research….
Foetal
harm
A major international review of 76 studies on impact of passive smoking
on pregnancy shows it causes lower birthweight and increased birth
abnormalities. The review considered data from over 130,000 women.
TB risk
Exposure to
secondhand smoke increases the risk of tuberculosis (TB) in older women
by 50%, says a study from Hong Kong. Australia's incidence of TB
is only about 700-800 cases a year but strongly related to disadvantage
– with Indigenous rate around 8 times higher than general rate.
Smoke
drift
Victorian air quality study in pubs and bars has found smoke drifting
from outdoor smoking areas to adjacent indoor areas compromises health -
some "smokefree" areas significantly contaminated by smoke
drift. The authors raise concerns for “adequate protection of the
health of employees and patrons at hospitality venues."
LOCAL
COUNCILS MAKE SMOKEFREE PROGRESS
See
smokefree
outdoor areas news
The
Council of Frankston, just south of Melbourne, is about to make three
busy outdoor shopping streets smokefree on a six-month trial - with
fines of up to $110. Frankston Mayor Christine Richards says the health
benefits will be "worth any flak."
Meanwhile
many NSW councils are also moving to make crowded outdoor areas under
their control smokefree – including al
fresco dining areas, transport shelters, children’s playgrounds
and more.
COMING
EVENTS
Plain
Packaging Inquiry
The
Plain
Tobacco Packaging (Removing Branding from Cigarette Packs) Bill 2009
introduced by Senator Fielding is under review by this Senate inquiry. Submission
deadline now extended to April 30 – final report in August. See
inquiry
webpage including submission info
See plain
packaging background
APACT
Conference, Sydney, 6-9 October 2010
Abstract
submissions are open for the Asia Pacific Association for the Control of
Tobacco with focus on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and
its implementation in the region. Abstract submissions open until 5th
March.
See
APACT conference website
GUIDELINES,
PRACTICE
Code of practice on
tobacco control for health professional organisations
WHO's 14-point code adopted (2004) by informal meeting of health
professional organisations. See
the
code
Guidance for implementing
smoke free mental health facilities in NSW
2009 practical guide for Chief Executives and designated personnel in
NSW Area Health Services wanting to implement NSW Health Smoke Free
Workplace Policy in NSW public hospital and residential mental health
care facilities and drug and alcohol facilities used by mental health
consumers.
Available from NSW
Health website
-
Smoking and mental
health: myths busted
Debate continues about how smoking should be handled in mental
health settings. Smoking is a serious contributor to the problems faced
by people with mental illness. Evidence shows it worsens health,
shortens lives and imposes financial hardship - and it does NOT relieve
stress. See 2008 report Smoke
and Mirrors from the Cancer Council NSW and Mental Health
Coordinating Council NSW which explodes several popular myths.
Cessation training by
e-learning
"Implementing lifestyle change" modules (2009) including
one on smoking cessation - from the Heart Foundation, RACGP and
GPlearning. Helping patients to quit and stay quit. See
GPlearning site
See similar resource from NZ
Tobacco-free health care
facilities
2009 guide prepared by the International Union Against Tobacco and
Lung Disease on developing and maintaining 100% tobacco-free healthcare
facilities. See the
guide
Guide for the management of nicotine-independent inpatients
Innovative strategy from NSW Health (revised 2008) for identifying and providing suitable
treatment options for all smokers entering departmental health services. See
their slideshow.
and see what the NSW
North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) has done:
Physician
survey highlights difficulties in treating smoking
4/9/06: Report on international survey of physicians' attitudes,
presented at World Congress of Cardiology, with some useful insights and
suggestions on how to approach smoking patients.
National
Tobacco Strategy 2004-2009
Includes links to resource materials and funding guidelines.
Let's Take a Moment: quit
smoking brief intervention - a guide for all health professionals
2005 NSWhealth guide to the processes of
ask-advise-assess-assist-arrange followup. Help for health professionals
wanting to provide good routine evidence-based advice to smoker clients. See guide
and desktool
diagram. Both are available from NSWhealth.
Referring patients or
clients to Quit help
New referral guide for professionals, from NSWhealth
- including referral
flowchart and fax
referral steps.
The Gold Standard: A
practical guide to providing smoking cessation services in pharmacy
A comprehensive guide for Australian pharmacists looking for best
cessation results. From the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia,
Pharmacy Guild of Australia and Pharmacia Australia Pty
Ltd. 2 pdfs: Full
guide Quick
guide
Smoking
Cessation Guidelines for Australian GPs
Advice, strategies and
supportive background to help General Practitioners encourage and
support patients in quitting. A Federal Government/universities/health
groups effort. In pdf.
REPORTS
Cigarette
smoking among women and girls
Including trends for pregnant women, indigenous women, attitudes towards
passive smoking, quitting. 2002
Asthma
in Australia
Comprehensive report (2003) from the Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare. For tobacco's impact, see Chapters 4.1 and 4.2, pp. 51-57.
USEFUL
SITES
Treatobacco
Useful international site for health professional, policy-makers and
regulators. Research, health effects, interventions,
economics, policy, more. Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
with input from WHO, World Bank, CDC, Cochrane and others. Includes
2006 "Ask the Experts" feature on
new quit medications and evidence for their
effectiveness.
Tobacco Control
A quarterly scientific journal that considers all aspects of tobacco
prevention and control. Includes published articles, papers and links.
ASH online
tobacco resources
Sites, reports, factsheets, publications -
Australia/overseas, government/non-government.
GLOBALink
Join an International
Tobacco Control Network and stay in touch with developments worldwide.
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site
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