SmokeSignals
May-June
2009
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.
CALL
FOR TOBACCO TAX RISE SUPPORTED
Health groups have backed a Federal Opposition call for a rise in
tobacco tax, made in the Budget Reply speech. See
Cancer
Council Australia media release 15/5/09
ASH
and other groups have for several years urged a tax increase to benefit
public health.
Australia
is long overdue for a tobacco
tax increase, with some countries’ packet prices now almost double
Australia
’s. News,
research on Realistic
funding
The
Rudd Government is waiting on recommendations from its Preventative
Health Taskforce and the Henry Review of tax policy before determining
whether there will be a tobacco tax rise – and how much.
74%
of smokers say they would quit if cigarette prices increased by 50%
according to a Quit / Heart Foundation / Cancer Council study. See
latest
research
Once
again, the tobacco industry has sought to interfere in government health
policymaking (see above) – Philip Morris making the scaremongering
claim that a tax increase would boost illicit trade.
TOBACCO
INDUSTRY SHOULD BUTT OUT OF HEALTH POLICY
ASH
has written to Australian governments urging them to prevent
interference by the tobacco industry in public health policy, in line
with international law.
ASH
called on federal, state and territory governments to fulfil
Australia
’s obligations to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)
by ensuring that tobacco companies, including front groups, take no part
in formulation of any policy relating to health.
Tobacco
companies continue to find ways “under the radar”, using
cross-border media to bypass national tobacco sponsorship bans; trying
to delay or weaken measures to protect children; and lobbying against
smokefree public places reforms.
The
ASH letter highlighted British American Tobacco front group, the Butt
Littering Trust – whose partnerships with local councils and state
government agencies have been used by the tobacco company in anti-smokefree
areas campaigns.
ASH
has asked all governments to comply with Article 5.3 of the FCTC by
making sure the tobacco industry plays no role at all in the formulation
of policies to protect health, protect children and protect people in
their workplaces.
See
ASH
media release 5/5/09
See FCTC
guidelines to prevent tobacco industry interference
W.A.
BILL A BIG FRESH STEP
A Private Members’ Bill to reform WA's tobacco
laws has been embraced by the major parties and looks set to pass into
law soon. The bill, moved by independent MP Dr Janet Woollard and
supported by the major parties after some compromises, will put tobacco
out of sight in shops, make cars carrying children smokefree and also
prohibit smoking in outdoor playing and safe swimming areas, al
fresco cafes and restaurants, and half the outdoor dining areas of
pubs and clubs.
See
Tobacco
Products Control Amendment Bill 2008
ROLAH
MCCABE STRIKES BACK!
The case
of Rolah McCabe v British American Tobacco may have to be re-argued,
following latest legal developments. McCabe sought damages from British
American Tobacco after being recruited to smoking at the age of 12 –
but died of cancer before her case was lost on appeal in the High Court
after a fierce legal battle in which BAT was accused of shredding
thousands of its potentially embarrassing files. The case is now back in
the courts. See
Richard
Ackland update, Sydney Morning Herald, 24/4/09
COMING
EVENTS
World No Tobacco Day, May 31
This year’s theme set by the World Health Organisation is
“Tobacco packet health warnings”. ASH and other health groups have
called for plain packaging of tobacco products to end the industry’s
packet-as-advertising strategies. See
WHO
WNTD site and ASH facts
and issues under
“Packaging” and “Packet health warnings”.
Oceania
Tobacco Control Conference, October 2009
Darwin
, October 7-9, 2009. Theme is “Addressing inequality through tobacco
control.” Abstract submissions are open and will close June 19.
See
Oceania website
LATEST
RESEARCH
See
these and other studies at our latest
research webpage
"Tremendous" impact of smoking on
heart, vascular and other deaths
Smoking is "strongly" related to cardiovascular and other
causes of death, says a 30-year Norwegian study of 54,000 men and
women.
Secondhand smoke affects babies' brains to cause SIDS
Australian study shows not just prenatal smoke in utero but also
secondhand smoke after birth changes babies' brains to make them more
susceptible to Sudden Infant Death syndrome.
ASH has compiled the following resources for health professionals
working in tobacco control and public health in general.
GUIDELINES,
PRACTICE
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
Smoking cessation
pharmacotherapy update
Feb. 2009: Update from the Royal Australian College of General
Practitioners (RACGP) aiming to inform doctors, nurses, pharmacists,
dentists, Quitline counsellors and other health professionals on how to
provide up-to-date advice to patients on medicines to assist
quitting. See the update
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.
Statement from World
Medical Association
November 2007: The
World Medical Association represents about 85 national medical
associations. At its meeting in October in Copenhagen, the WMA
General Assembly adopted a strong statement on tobacco, amending an
earlier statement first adopted in 1988 and then revised in 1997. See
the statement.
Guide for using NRT to "Cut Down
Then Stop"
February 2007: The Therapeutic Goods Association has approved guidelines for Nicotine Replacement Therapy use - including how to use
NRT to reduce smoking as a means of quitting - changing some warnings to
precautions.
Includes key messages, processes, evidence, pharmacist flow chart and
nicotine fact sheet. See the guidelines
Guide
for the management of nicotine-dependent inpatients
Innovative strategy from NSW Health for identifying and providing suitable
treatment options for all smokers entering departmental health services. See
also 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
Supposedly now in full effect, though not fully funded.
Tobacco
Facts for Physicians
May 2005 factsheet produced by ASH Australia and the Royal Australasian
College of Physicians. Includes advice on what physicians can do to help
smokers, recent research and other info, useful resources and
links. See also....
Tobacco
Policy: Using evidence for better outcomes
Latest policy of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians - what
physicians should do individually and collectively about tobacco
smoking.
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 evidence-based advise to smoker clients, as part
of routine practice. See guide
and desktool
diagram. Both are available from NSWhealth.
TCRC
resources on smoking and health
The Tobacco Control Resource Centre (TCRC - now sadly closed down) has published a number of
specialist resources for medical education on tobacco. These articles
and accompanying materials are intended for free and copyright-free
use by medical specialists. Each review article is accompanied by
poster and slide show. The review articles include:
- Smoking and child health: a review for paediatricians
- Smoking and the endocrine system: a review for endocrinologists
- Smoking and eye health: a review for ophthalmologists
- Smoking and surgery: a review for
surgeons and anaesthesiologists
- Smoking and the vascular system: a review for vascular specialists
- Smoking and womens reproductive health: a review for gynaecologists
and obstetricians
What
dentists should know about smoking
Presentation by ASH published in Australasian Dental Perspectives, May-June
2005
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.
Smoking
Cessation Interventions
From the National Tobacco Strategy,
a review of literature and suggestions for best health care practice.
A report on what Dentists can do about smoking, 2001
Tobacco Control Resource
Centre
Award-winning advice for
doctors from the British Medical Association.
REPORTS
Pfizer Australia Health Report on Smoking
July 2005 publication (with ASH input) updating latest research, health
professional tips and resources. See the
report
- for more info, ph. 1800-675-229.
Smoke-Free
World, Doctors' Notes on Clean Air Laws.
In
this 2005 report, doctors' leaders from eight countries describe the
success of smoke-free legislation. These stories from the frontline show
the benefits of laws to make enclosed public places smoke-free, and
dispel the common myths spun by opponents. The
report can be downloaded from the TCRC website: www.doctorsandtobacco.org.
Tobacco
Time for Action Report
From the National
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tobacco Control Project, 2002.
Cigarette
smoking among women and girls
Including trends for pregnant women, indigenous women, attitudes towards
passive smoking, quitting. 2002
International
Experts Report
Find out why we should ban the misleading terms "light"
and "mild" cigarettes, 2001.
Smoking
and tobacco-related disease in NSW an agenda for control 1999
This report provides
an overview of the evidence supporting the Cancer Council and its
partners' case for a substantial enhancement of efforts in tobacco
control.
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
Australian
Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA)
Non- profit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation striving
for excellence in health and wellbeing. Lots of good info and ideas.
Treatobacco
Useful international site for health professional, policy-makers and
regulators. Research and background on health effects, interventions,
economics, policy and more. Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
with input from WHO, World Bank, CDC, Cochrane and others.
March 2006: There's a
new Ask the Experts feature on Treatobacco:
"What new stop smoking
medications are currently being developed and what is the evidence so
far for their effectiveness?"
Tobacco Control
A quarterly scientific journal that considers all aspects of tobacco
prevention and control. Includes published articles, papers and links.
Tobacco
Information and Prevention Source
United States Centres for Disease Control site with general
information about tobacco, current news and events, research, data and
reports categorised by topic, new tobacco-related citations and
educational materials.
Pharmacists
Against Tobacco
Website of global network of pharmacists.
OTHER RESOURCES
View
award winning Australian campaign adverts here.
Is "chop chop" more natural and healthier than
shop cigarettes?
No - in fact, mould and fungi are commonly found in chop-chop (rough
rolled tobacco sold illegally under the counter) - and smokers are
inhaling mould spores directly into their lungs. See
Chop
chop factsheet
GLOBALink
Join an International
Tobacco Control Network and stay in touch with developments world wide.
Smoke-free
resources to help people with a mental illness quit smoking
TOBACCOpedia
Online tobacco encyclopaedia, developed by the International Union
Against Cancer and the University of Sydney.
Explore our ASH
site
Check our latest media
releases
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professionals