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“
Health
groups have welcomed the latest move from South Australia where the
Government has become the second jurisdiction – following the ACT
Government – to ban fruit flavoured cigarettes because of their
blatant appeal to young girls. Substance
Abuse Minister Carmel Zollo yesterday released the state's Tobacco
Control Strategy and said the fruity cigarettes were designed to lure young people into
smoking. "With
flavours such as strawberry and green apple, these cigarettes are
clearly not going to appeal to 50-year-old male smokers. They attract
young people, particularly teenage girls and children," she said.
ASH
Australia has welcomed the move to protect the health of children but
said other governments needed to move urgently as the fruity, pastel
coloured cigarette packets were being widely distributed in shops
frequented by young people and near schools. “The
unregulated tobacco market is becoming a national disgrace as although
advertising has been restricted for years, the lethal contents of
these killer products still remain unregulated by the federal
government”, said Anne Jones, Chief Executive of ASH Australia. Fruity
flavoured tobacco products should be banned everywhere as part of a
national regulatory framework to reduce the 19,000 deaths each year
caused by smoking”. In the
absence of federal action, state and territory governments are being
urged to use their own powers to introduce an “out of sight”
regulation for retail outlets where walls of tobacco product are
prominently positioned centre stage in the face of children and
families on a daily basis. “We
know from surveys that most smokers will not be inconvenienced by out
of sight policies as they know their own brand and don’t need shop
displays to purchase”, said Anne Jones. All governments need to act now to ban fruity cigarettes as part of a tougher regulatory framework – including an out of sight policy in retail outlets - to further protect young people from an addiction that kills more than half of its long term users, said ASH. 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 on 16/1/06 |
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