twrama 1841_august_2.. - AMA WA

COVER STORY
Butt
seriously
It is time for WA to stub out any obstacles
that lie in the way of a smoke-free society
says Professor Mike Daube
T
he High Court decision on tobacco plain packaging is a massive win
for public health, a massive defeat for the tobacco industry, and – as
international reactions have shown – a massive boost for tobacco control
around the world. We should celebrate – but we cannot afford to be
complacent. There is much work yet to be done.
Smoking is declining in Western Australia as in other states. Health
Department figures show that only 11.1 per cent of adult Western
Australians over 16 smoke daily and 4.8 per cent of 12–17 year-olds are
weekly smokers. Anyone under 21 has grown up without exposure to direct
tobacco advertising. The introduction of plain packaging in December
will further reduce the attraction of smoking – which is why it has been so
ferociously opposed by Big Tobacco.
But international experience in tobacco control shows that complacency
can halt the decline. Tobacco is still promoted directly and indirectly
(look at how many popular movies just happen to promote smoking) – and
six decades after indisputable evidence that smoking kills, a quarter of a
million Western Australians still smoke.
There is now serious discussion about how we can aim to bring smoking
to an end. Various options are being mooted – banning sales to anyone
born beyond a specified year, mandating reduced supply of tobacco onto
the market, licensing schemes for smokers, setting a date by which tobacco
companies have to demonstrate that their products meet normal
consumer standards – and maybe, ultimately, banning commercial
cigarette sales.
In the meantime, we need to keep doing more because
smoking is uniquely harmful – the only consumer product
that kills half its regular consumers when used precisely
as intended.
Some of the action needed is national – such as tax
increases and plain packaging. But we also need action at the
state level.
We are no longer the national leaders. WA has previously been the
leader in action on tobacco, from medically-based campaigning to
QUIT campaigns to legislation. It is time for new approaches that will
26 MEDICUS August