National Cancer Prevention Policy - Tobacco Control Supersite

Australian National Tobacco Strategy 2004–200
Current national and inter-jurisdictional tobacco control policy is articulated in the
Australian National Tobacco Strategy 2004–2009. The strategy sets out the intentions
of federal, state and territory governments to work together and collaborate with nongovernment
agencies on a long-term, comprehensive, evidence-based and coordinated
national plan ‘to significantly improve health and to reduce the social costs caused by, and
the inequity exacerbated by, tobacco in all its forms’ (MCDS 2004).
The Cancer Council endorses the objectives of the National Tobacco Strategy, which are,
across all social groups:
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to prevent uptake of smoking
to encourage and assist as many smokers as possible to quit as soon as possible
to eliminate harmful exposure to tobacco smoke among non-smokers
where feasible, to reduce harm associated with continuing use of and dependence on
tobacco and nicotine.
The National Tobacco Strategy identifies the following areas for action:
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regulation of tobacco
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promotion
place of sale
price (through tobacco tax)
place of use
packaging
products
promotion of Quit and Smokefree messages
cessation services and treatment
community support and education
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informing the community
preventing smoking uptake by children
addressing social and cultural determinants of health
tailoring initiatives for disadvantaged groups
research, evaluation, monitoring and surveillance
workforce development.
Regulation of tobacco promotion
Comprehensive bans on cigarette advertising and promotion were shown to reduce
consumption, but more limited partial bans were found have little or no effect in data from
1970 to 1992 from 22 high-income countries (Jha & Chaloupka 1999). Econometric studies
in high-income countries suggest that comprehensive bans on promotion reduce demand
for tobacco by around 7% (CDCP 1999). When governments ban tobacco advertising in
one medium, the tobacco industry will substitute advertising in other media with little or
no effect on overall marketing expenditure (Jha & Chaloupka 1999). In Australia, tobacco
promotion still occurs at point of sale and on packaging. Research suggests that such
advertising increases positive feelings about cigarette brands (MCDS 2004).
2 Section One: Preventable risk factors