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“
The
tobacco industry is once more trying to hoodwink local councils into
dumping popular moves to make crowded outdoor eating and working areas
smokefree. Wagga Wagga City Council (NSW)
has new policies on exhibition* until November 28, including proposals
to ban smoking near children’s
playgrounds and council building entrances, in covered bus shelters
and taxi ranks, and in al fresco dining areas under council
licence. British
American Tobacco Australasia (BATA) has written to Wagga Wagga City
councillors (November 2008)** opposing the popular smokefree al
fresco reform. In
the letter, BATA makes several unsubstantiated claims:
Action
on Smoking and Health (ASH) Australia has made a submission to the
Wagga review supporting the proposed measures, backed by a wide range
of health, medical, employee, child protection, church and local
government organisations. Says
ASH CEO Anne Jones: “These
reforms are strongly supported by evidence and public opinion. “All
of Queensland, and more than fifty NSW councils, have adopted
smokefree outdoor areas policies, including seven NSW councils with
smokefree al fresco policies. All have reported the measure a
success, with strong community approval and no harm to trade. All have
found enforcement relatively straightforward, as strong community
approval makes it largely self-enforcing. “The
only council cited by BATA was the one that retreated prematurely from
this step: Hornsby. BATA quotes a Hornsby councillor who was so in
tune with the community that he then lost his seat. “BATA’s
letter also misrepresents the position of Professor Chapman by
implying that he opposes these measures. In fact, while he has
reservations about smoking bans in some non-crowded outdoor areas,
he’s on record as supporting smokefree policies in playgrounds, near
building entrances and in al fresco dining areas. “BATA
promotes the education and butt-bin strategies of its BLT as an
alternative. But the ‘reduction’ figure quoted is unsubstantiated,
independent research finding such policies by themselves don’t work. “This
misleading letter shows the tobacco industry is bent on continuing its
history of public deception to block popular and evidence-based health
measures that might erode its tobacco sales.” *
www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/www/html/2900-policy-009---no-smoking-policy.asp **
Excerpts from BATA letter, ASH ‘re-buttal’ and other information:
www.ashaust.org.au/lv3/Lv3informationLG.htm
Comment:
Anne
Jones, ASH ph. (02) 9334-1876;
m. 0417-227-879 Comment/Media
info:
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Page last updated 27/11/08 |
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