Technical Paper 2:
Tobacco Control in Australia: making smoking history
Addendum for October 2008 to June 2009
- Overview and summary of action proposed
- Summary of proposed measures
- 1 - Introduction: the big picture
2 - Progress in meeting National Tobacco Strategy objectives: trends and concerns- 3 - Progress in Australia on recommended policies and programs
- 4 - What next, what first and for what cost?
- Major sources used in this document
- References
Addendum for October 2008 to June 2009- Goals of tobacco control: To reduce the human, social and financial costs of smoking
- Objectives of tobacco control: To reduce use of tobacco products and exposure to the toxic elements of tobacco smoke
- Comprehensive strategies to reduce smoking
- Tobacco control strategies
- Promotion of Quit and Smoke-free messages
- Services and treatment
- Addressing disadvantage and tailoring services
- Supporting parents and education
- Keeping tobacco control on the agenda
- Cost effectiveness of tobacco control
- Research, evaluation, monitoring and surveillance
- References
- Attachment 1: Proposed amendment concerning plain packaging, UK Health Bill
- Attachment 2: Sample of Studies Pulished January to May 2009 suggested or concluding health effects other thn those already covered in current Consumer Product Information in Australia
Since the Preventative Health Taskforce released its discussion paper[1] and an accompanying technical paper on tobacco[2] in October 2008, a major development has been the adoption by Parties to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) of several instruments that will be used by nations to guide implementation of their international obligations under the FCTC to discourage tobacco use. The FCTC is the first treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO. As of 13 May 2009 it had 164 Parties, including Australia and all other WHO member states in the Western Pacific Region.
In addition, there have been several developments in Australian states and territories, as well as overseas, relevant to the policies proposed in the Taskforce’s reports. These include the release of the Victorian Tobacco Strategy,[3] which sets out implementation dates for a number of key reforms; passage of the NSW Public Health (Tobacco) Act; and passage through the Lower House of a bill outlining several reforms with all party support in Western Australia.[4]
Finally, several thousand further studies relevant to the health effects of smoking and the effectiveness of policies to discourage tobacco use have been published over the past six months.
This paper summarises just the major studies and developments since October 2008 considered relevant to consideration of the Taskforce’s strategy for tobacco control.