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“
The
call for decisive action by Tasmanian and national health leaders
follows the release of new evidence that shows children are at serious
risk from retail display influence and secondhand smoke in cars. The
National Heart Foundation of Australia, Action on Smoking and Health
(ASH) Australia and The Cancer Council Tasmania, along with other
Tasmanian health and child welfare organisations, have called on the
government to put all tobacco products out of sight in shops and to
ban smoking in cars carrying children. The
health groups today presented ministers and other MPs with new
evidence supporting both measures. This evidence includes a new
Harvard University study that shows children are at significant risk
from secondhand smoke exposure in cars.*
The
Cancer Council Tasmania CEO Lawson Ride says Tasmania has a historic
opportunity to take action on behalf of its children against devious
promotion and insidious health harm. “While
the tobacco industry trots out its deceptive rhetoric of ‘adult
lifestyle choices’, the hard reality is that children are the prime
targets for their deadly and addictive products,” Mr Ride says. National
Heart Foundation Tasmania CEO Ian Gordon agrees. “Nine
out of 10 smokers start their habit as children – and the tobacco
industry knows it,” Mr Gordon says. “The
community is solidly behind stronger protection for children. We’re
calling on Tasmania to take the lead in putting children’s lives and
health ahead of the shonky claims of the powerful tobacco retailers’
lobby.” Action
on Smoking and Health Australia CEO Anne Jones says research shows
children are predisposed towards smoking if they see prominent retail
displays in supermarkets, convenience stores, newsagencies, petrol
stations and corner shops. “Tobacco
retailers have tried to snow governments with misleading claims that
retail display doesn’t encourage people to smoke, is not really
advertising and is essential for brand choice. The independent
evidence directly contradicts these claims,” Ms Jones says. “There’s
also strong evidence that children are suffering dangerous levels of
exposure to secondhand smoke in cars and that banning smoking in
vehicles carrying children is a practical and enforceable response,”
she says. * Rees V and Connolly G (2006), “Measuring Air
Quality to Protect Children from Secondhand Smoke in Cars” in
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
XX(x) doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2006.07.021 This
is a joint media release by ASH Australia, The Cancer Council Tasmania
and the National Heart Foundation of Australia. Comment: Lawson Ride, The Cancer Council Tasmania
m. 0418-129-757 |
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Page last updated 31/10/06 |
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