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Smoking is Australia’s single largest preventable cause of sickness
and premature death in Australia, killing 19,000 a year and costing the
nation more than $21 billion in health and social expenses.
We can make a difference. Both
Australian and worldwide evidence shows that better laws and well-funded, comprehensive
tobacco control programs can cut tobacco use and save lives.
Take action on our current
campaigns
This link will help you become
an ASH supporter (no cost)
You
can also help us by supporting
us financially - or with your time and effort…..
Write to an MP
or the media
As
a voter, one of the most effective things you can
do is to write to elected Federal, state or local politicians, or to the
public via Letters to an Editor – urging support for:
- improved
funding - for tobacco control strategies, public education, or a
comprehensive, evidence based tobacco dependence treatment program;
- tougher
regulations on the manufacture and supply of tobacco products;
- legislation
to end deceptive and misleading tobacco marketing practices, or to
reduce involuntary exposure to toxic tobacco by-products (see the SmokeFree
Australia campaign link); or
- measures
to ensure cigarettes do not become affordable to children .
Once you've written
your letter, you'll need the name and address of the relevant politician
or media - so that you can post, fax or email your letter.
To help you get an effective letter into the right hands, we've provided:
Political donations from tobacco
interests
Tobacco companies and other tobacco-friendly interests all give large
political donations to the major parties.
See roundup of NSW political donations on the NSW
Greens website. MPs should be questioned and challenged about
accepting funds from tobacco interests.
How to
"dob in" a drug dealer
If you have information about suspected smuggling of tobacco products or
sales of illicit tobacco, known as “chop chop”, call:
the Australian Tax Office hotline at 1800 060 062 or
email details to illegaltobacco@ato.gov.au
for investigation.
Tobacco sales to children are still a major problem and should
be reported to local health authorities.
Improve
your advocacy skills
INFACT is a public interest group in the
US that organises international events, a tobacco industry campaign,
including boycotts, a corporate hall of shame, organising kits and
advocacy tips. Other good advocacy sites include the Tobacco
Free Initiative (WHO) and Campaign
for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Take
action for smokefree workplaces
Health events calendar
This calendar
from the Australian Dept of Health and Ageing might be useful to plan
tobacco-related activism around.
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