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“
ASH
Australia has called for full disclosure and greater regulatory
control over tobacco products in Australia, following an alarming US
report showing nicotine doses in cigarettes may have risen steadily over
the past six years. A
report released today by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
based on machine testing of all available brands found that:
The report also confirmed that nicotine in tobacco is a highly addictive drug affecting nearly every organ in the body, and that increased levels of nicotine make it more difficult for the average smoker to quit. Nicotine also changes how insulin works in the body, making smokers more likely to develop diabetes; and medications designed to treat asthma, high blood pressure, and depression can lose their effectiveness in combination with nicotine. “The
implication for Australian smokers,” says ASH Chief Executive Anne
Jones, “is that a similar or even greater increase could
be happening here – and we wouldn’t know about it, because
monitoring and reporting on the health impacts of tobacco content is
not required under Australian law. “So
undisclosed higher doses of nicotine, if confirmed, might not only be causing greater
harm to Australian smokers, but undermining government investment in
programs to reduce smoking and save lives and costs. “We
urge the Australian government to put in place a tougher regulatory
framework in line with the recommendations in the National Tobacco
Strategy for the next five years.”
Report and factsheets at www.mass.gov/dph/mtcp/wn_mtcp.htm Comment: Anne
Jones, CEO, ASH Australia ph.
(02) 9334-1876 m.
0417-227-879 Media inquiries:
Stafford Sanders ph.
(02) 9334-1823 m.
0412-070-194
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Page last updated 31/8/06 |
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