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“
Health groups have welcomed Tasmania’s
decision announced today (November 22) to ban split cigarette packs,
and are urging all state and territory governments to follow suit and
to take other recommended measures to protect children from tobacco. The ban on 20-cigarette “kiddie packs”
announced today by Tasmanian Health Minister Lara Giddings follows a
similar decision this month by South Australia - responding to
national concerns that the marketing ploy would encourage children to
smoke. Says Stafford Sanders, Communications Officer
of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Australia:
“The decision to recall these products shows that state
governments can act quickly and decisively to protect young people. “It’s a serious issue as 12% of Tasmanian
schoolchildren - and 17% of 15-year-olds - are already weekly smokers.
14% of these school-aged smokers are illegally supplied tobacco
products by retailers. “While the tobacco industry trots out its
deceptive rhetoric of ‘adult lifestyle choices’, the hard reality
is that smoking routinely starts with childhood recruitment and
addiction, with kids the tobacco industry’s prime targets to replace
smokers who either die or quit.” A coalition of health and medical groups is
currently seeking support for several effective measures to protect
children from tobacco including:
The Tasmanian government will soon decide
whether to adopt these measures. Says Stafford Sanders: “We urge Tasmania to
press on with putting children’s lives and health ahead of shonky
claims made by the tobacco industry, aimed at delaying or weakening
child protection measures.” Comment:
Stafford
Sanders, ASH Australia
ph. (02) 9334-1823; m.
0412-070-194
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Page last updated 22/11/06 |
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