Cancer Council celebrates Queensland action on tobacco

29 April, 2010

Cancer Council Queensland has hailed the Federal and State Government decisions on tobacco control as the most promising reforms yet undertaken to stamp out tobacco-related deaths.

CEO of Cancer Council Queensland, Professor Jeff Dunn, said the Federal introduction of plain packaging and the State ban on retail displays would help to stem the tragic death of nearly 3,500 Queenslanders each year from tobacco related disease.

“These new laws will reduce the prevalence of smoking, reduce the consumption of cigarettes, and reduce tobacco related illness and deaths.

“We applaud the Australian and Queensland Governments for their strong conviction on this issue.

“This is an important day for all Queenslanders.

“Our hope is that we now have the support we need, both from the community and each level of Government, to create a Smoke Free Queensland.”

Prof Dunn said the reforms would strongly discourage young people from taking up smoking.

"Young people are especially vulnerable to retail promotions and are easily influenced by marketing and cigarette packaging,” said Prof Dunn.

Statistics show that 9.3 per cent of 14 to 19 year-olds in Queensland smoke.

“These reforms will help to ensure our next generation doesn’t follow the current tragic pattern of deaths each year in Queensland from tobacco-related disease.”

Although daily smoking trends in Queensland have been declining, about 17 per cent of Queenslanders still smoke daily, which is above the national rate of 16.6 percent.

Queensland’s smoking prevalence is one of the worst in Australia, with only Tasmania and the Northern Territory recording higher rates.

“The Queensland Government has taken a stand to stamp out smoking, to safeguard the health of our next generation of Queenslanders,” he said.

In Queensland, lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death among both men and women.

“We have every confidence that these reforms will reduce the prevalence of smoking, reduce the consumption of cigarettes, and reduce tobacco related illness and deaths.

“We are closer than we have ever been to creating a Smoke Free Queensland.”

ENDS

For more information, please contact:
Anne Savage, Director – Public Affairs, Cancer Council Queensland, 0417 709 869