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“
Plain
packaging of tobacco and a tax increase have been hailed by health
advocates as Australia’s strongest blows against the tobacco
epidemic in a decade. Media
reports say the Federal Government will increase tobacco tax by 25%
and the government has announced mandatory plain packaging of tobacco
products by 2012. Anne
Jones, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
Australia, said: “They
will help drive Australia’s smoking rate down so that we have a
chance of reaching the national target of under 10% by 2020. “Making
plain packaging mandatory is based on good research evidence and was
recommended by the National Preventative Health Taskforce. “The
tobacco industry has called the packet its ‘silent salesman’ – a
salesman who now won’t be allowed to use designs, colours, fonts and
glossy pictures to push a deadly, addictive drug to new customers,
most of them children. “Governments
have a right to protect people against tobacco advertising, and should
stand up to the industry’s poorly-founded threats of legal action. “The
tax increase if announced as reported will add around $2.20 to an
average pack of 30, and that will be enough to tip many thousands of
smokers into quitting. “The
revenue raised is urgently needed to fund the National Preventative
Health Strategy. We believe the government will spend some of these
funds on reducing smoking rates in high-risk groups. “We
congratulate the many health groups, academics, researchers, advisers,
supportive MPs and others who have helped achieve these results.”
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Page last updated 29/4/10 |
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