 FROM
THE DIRECTOR'S DESK
This is the 50th edition of the Tobacco Control Update. That in itself is cause for celebration.
In looking through earlier issues of the Update I note that, with some exceptions, the tobacco control issues that
we are dealing with remain the same. It is true there was great elation at the outcome of the smokefree workplaces legislation
and much activity leading up to the legislation taking effect. One or two publicans decided to embark on a personal crusade
against the legislation and in common with most crusades theirs met a similar demise. Indeed the Hospitality Association
found that it was in its own interests to work to make the legislation run smoothly.
However, far from the chorus of doom and gloom orchestrated by some, all has been
well in the pubs and clubs since the last puff was allowed indoors. Prosecutions have been few and far between, but those on the
receiving end of such have found that the legislation does indeed carry some teeth and have become compliant.
However the tobacco industry never sleeps. It is worse than rust. Their little mantra plays away silently like the
'musak' in supermarkets to the extent that even high court judges really believe that smoking is an adult choice.
This makes the current investigation by the Commerce Commission into the behaviour of the industry in promoting 'light'
and 'mild' cigarettes as being healthier alternatives to full bodied cigarettes even more important.
If typical history is followed here, the industry will realise it is on a loser (having known for decades that its
descriptors were lies) and will run up the white flag, surrender and settle. It is even possible that in this process
they
will try to get some public acclaim as responsible corporate citizens by admitting they were 'mistaken' and offering to fund
a remedial education campaign. This is a
standard tactic of theirs when they are in a corner.
In this instance we need to see the industry in court. ASH, the Cancer Society and the Smokefree Coalition are preparing a
plan of action to achieve this. In the first instance a letter has been sent to the Commerce Commission advising what our
preferred outcome would be, and enquiring how we can best inform proceedings as the Commission makes its decision on what action
to take.
But that won't be all. In our view it is time New Zealand got the industry in court and held it accountable for its actions.
This is our best chance and all the activity that we are able to mount in support of this outcome will be pursued.
We may well come to the smokefree community for support in this effort.
It is my hope that when we put together the 100th Update we will be able to look
back on this campaign as a further substantial nail in the coffin of the tobacco industry.
Have a good fortnight.
Mark Peck
Director
Smokefree Coalition
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Smokefree Cars campaign launched
- Smokefree Coalition AGM
- Smokefree Symposium 2006
- ASH website revamp
- Tobacco companies secretly raising nicotine levels
- FCTC update
- Children of smokers linked to bad behaviour
- Attorneys General provide Hollywood with anti-smoking messages
- New tobacco control staff at HSC
- Blast from the past
- Quotable quotes
- Media themes
SMOKEFREE CARS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
The Smokefree Cars campaign was launched on Sunday 10 September with a 30-second television commercial that encourages
parents and caregivers not to smoke at any time in cars in which there are children. The campaign's key messages are:
- second-hand smoke is harmful to the health of children
- winding down a window does not eliminate the harmful poisons contained in second-hand smoke (we know that many smokers
tend to wind down the driver's window in an attempt to eliminate the smoke)
- poisons from second-hand smoke can linger in dust and on surfaces for days, weeks or even
months after smoking has taken place.
The campaign will run for four weeks, have a two-week break, and then be on for another three weeks. Television advertising
will resume after Christmas. Radio and print advertising will complement the television advertising. The suite of television and
radio ads, along with other campaign information, can be viewed at
www.smokefreecars.org.nz.
The HSC is also supporting community action around promoting Smokefree Cars.
For further information on the campaign, contact Marija Vidovich
marija@hsc.org.nz. To order campaign resources, please
contact sharda@hsc.org.nz.
SMOKEFREE COALITION AGM
The Smokefree Coalition Annual General Meeting will be held at 7.30pm, Monday 16 October in the Board Room at the Health
Sponsorship Council, Level 6 Fulbright House, 120 Featherston St, Wellington.
All members are invited. We hope to attract a guest speaker but details are yet to be finalised.
Business:
Receiving of reports
Elections (if any)
General Business
We look forward to seeing you there.
SMOKEFREE SYMPOSIUM 2006
Facing the Challenges with Fresh Thinking
Every two years since 1996 there has been a National Smokefree Conference. This year it is again being held in Wellington
at the Intercontinental Hotel, 16-17 October 2006.
The Smokefree Symposium provides a forum for:
- sharing research and experiences in tobacco control
- discussing future directions and priorities
- networking
- learning and contributing to improved coordination and cooperation within the sector.
The Symposium is brought to you by the National Smokefree/Auahi Kore Working Group, and the Tobacco Control Research
Strategy Steering Group.
More information including a programme outline and registration form is available at the Health Sponsorship
Council website: www.hsc.org.nz.
ASH WEB SITE REVAMP
 ASH has undertaken a total revamp of its website. They'd love for you to check it out, and let them know what you think.
www.ash.org.nz
You can even text your thoughts or comments to 274.
While you're visiting, why not complete their latest poll on topical smoking issues?
TOBACCO COMPANIES SECRETLY RAISING NICOTINE LEVELS
The tobacco industry is making desperate efforts to hook new young smokers and prevent older ones from quitting.
Evidence of this has been uncovered via a Massachusetts law that forces tobacco companies to report test results showing how
much nicotine is inhaled by typical smokers of their various brands.
This week the Massachusetts Department of Public Health revealed that from 1998 through to 2004, as public health
campaigns in the United States were mounted to curb smoking, the manufacturers increased the amount of addictive nicotine
delivered to the average smoker by 10 percent. Of 179 cigarette brands tested in 2004, 166 brands fell into the state's highest
nicotine yield range, including 59 brands that the manufacturers had labelled 'light' and 14 described as 'ultra-light'. The
three most popular brands chosen by young smokers - Marlboro, Newport and Camel - all delivered
significantly more nicotine as the years passed. Virtually all brands were found to deliver a high enough nicotine dose to
cause heavy dependence.
This trend has escaped notice because the standard government test uses a smoking machine that fails to mimic real-life
smoking. A manufacturer, for example, can design a cigarette that will score low in nicotine delivery to the machine by
placing tiny ventilation holes in the filter to dilute the smoke. But in real life a smoker will often cover the vents with
lips or fingers, thereby inhaling a higher dose of nicotine.
When Massachusetts required the manufacturers to use what it considered a more realistic method, the nicotine yields
were more than twice those found on the standard test. The Massachusetts approach may not be perfect, but it is surely a lot
more accurate than the traditional test, which virtually all independent experts consider deficient.
It is stunning to discover how easily this rogue industry was able to increase public consumption of nicotine
without anyone knowing about it until Massachusetts blew the whistle. The Massachusetts report bears out the conclusions
of a federal judge in Washington, who recently concluded that the companies have designed cigarettes to produce low
nicotine readings on the standard test while delivering enough nicotine to create and sustain addiction. It is long past
time for Congress to bring this damaging and deceitful industry under federal regulatory control. If the companies had to
justify to the Food and Drug Administration why they should be allowed to increase the nicotine inhaled by smokers,
you can bet they wouldn't even try.
New York Times, Editorial, 30 August 2006
FCTC UPDATE
There are now 168 signatories, and 138 parties, to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
The most recent countries to ratify the FCTC include Albania, Algeria, The People's Democratic Republic of Lao, Papua New Guinea
and Ecuador.
The Western Pacific Region (WPRO) - of which New Zealand is a member - is the first region with 100 percent ratification
of the FCTC. Congratulations to each nation representing this region.
Visit: http://fctc.org/treaty/Ratification_overview.pdf for an FCTC regional ratification overview.
CHILDREN OF SMOKERS LINKED TO BAD BEHAVIOUR
Smokers' children are more likely to binge drink, experiment with drugs, skip school, steal, vandalise and have under-age
sex, according to a new UK study. The survey of more than 830 teenagers found those whose parents smoked were generally worse behaved.
Professor Colin Pritchard, who led the study, called for warnings about the social and psychological impact of smoking
as well as the standard physical health warnings on cigarette packets. "Children with smoking parents went binge drinking at
almost twice the rate of those with non-smoking parents, double the drinking in pubs, higher use of cannabis and double the
rate of hard drug misuse," he said.
"They also are twice as likely to be truant and steal, cause more vandalism and, more importantly, 46 per cent, compared with
18 percent of children of non-smoking parents, had under-age sex and 19 percent, compared with six percent, had unprotected sex.
"There are some socioeconomic factors linked to these findings - smokers' jobs aren't generally as good as those of non-smokers
and smokers have higher unemployment.
"It is not the economics as such, but it seems it is the message that these parents inadvertently give their children.
Parents who smoke should be aware of the linked consequences."
Edinburgh News, 31 August 2006
US ATTORNEYS GENERAL PROVIDE HOLLYWOOD WITH ANTI-SMOKING MESSAGES
Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr, has announced that he has again called upon Hollywood's major motion
picture studios to insert anti-smoking public service announcements in all DVDs, videos and other newer home viewing
formats of movies in which smoking is depicted. This time, however, Attorney General Curran sent each studio three
"classic" Truth® anti-smoking campaign messages that were created by the American Legacy Foundation and are available at no
cost for the studios' unlimited use. Attorney General Curran, who has the lead on this project, is joined by 40 other
Attorneys General who signed the letter as well.
"I hope we've made an offer that the studios will be happy to accept," said Attorney General Curran.
"Public service announcements already appear on DVDs for many worthwhile causes and organisations, and they are
often linked to themes prevalent in the movies they precede. While we would like to see a reduction of smoking
depictions in movies seen by youth under 18, we are hoping that the studios will take advantage of using these
anti-smoking messages whenever the movie depicts smoking."
Curran's letter follows an earlier November 2005 request from him to the studios to help prevent youth smoking by
inserting anti-smoking messages on movies that depict smoking. It was signed by 31 Attorneys General. The studios never
responded to the Attorneys Generals' letters. Instead, Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) President Dan
Glickman wrote to the Attorneys General that only the individual companies could decide whether to run public service
announcements on DVDs or videos and that the industry would consider such announcements as one possible idea in an
overall anti-smoking campaign effort. To date, the Attorneys General have received no further indication from the
studios or the MPAA of progress on an anti-smoking public service announcement effort.
The most recent letter and the earlier request were sent to the CEOs of Paramount Pictures, The Walt Disney Company,
Miramax Films, DreamWorks SKG, Sony Pictures Entertainment, MGM Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Brothers Studios,
Fox Filmed Entertainment, and New Line Cinema. The latest letter was also sent to the CEOs of three independent studios:
Lionsgate, MTV Network and The Weinstein Company.
GLOBALink Today, 8 September 2006
NEW TOBACCO CONTROL STAFF AT HSC
Amie Mills
I am one of the new members of the tobacco control team at the Health Sponsorship Council. I came on board in July this
year primarily to work within the Youth Smokefree Department, but also to assist with Smokefree
Community and Auahi Kore.
I have recently been involved in the new Smokefree Cars campaign, launched on 10 September. I graduated from Victoria
University last year with a Bachelor of Arts first class honours degree in media studies, and I am particularly interested in
the role the media plays in normalising and glamorising smoking, and the effect this has on smoking uptake by susceptible teens.
I am really excited to be working within tobacco control and I look forward to the challenges ahead in reducing smoking initiation in
New Zealand.
Jessica Brady
I am new to the HSC tobacco control team as of August. World Smokefree Day will be one of my responsibilities along with work
in schools. I have recently moved to Wellington from Christchurch where I worked as a health promoter in diabetes, nutrition
and physical activity. t will be great to meet and work with the tobacco control community over the coming months.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
 You've come a long way, baby (1975)
Brand: Virginia Slims, Philip Morris
Full Text: And as they rode off into the sunset, the prince promised her his love, his riches and his castle in the
clouds if only she would be his. She agreed. Later, after the wedding, they discussed the running of the kingdom.
"The King, my father, is old and my blessed mother, the Queen, has long been gone and the castle is in terrible,
disarray," explained the Prince. "It needs the hand of a fine woman like yourself to straighten its many rooms
and dust its many nooks and light its many fires and clean its many chimneys and sweep its many corridors and
feed its many occupants and visitors. Then, we shall have many sons so that they may run the kingdom long after
I am gone. I can only hope that when they come of age, they will be as lucky as I in finding a good wife." And with
that, they kissed and the Prince lived happily ever after.
You've come a long way, baby.
Retrieved from: 20th Century Tobacco Ad Collection Collected by Richard Pollay, catalogued by Roswell Park Cancer Institute
http://roswell.tobaccodocuments.org/pollay/dirdet.cfm.
QUOTABLE QUOTES
"[The nicotine level of cigarettes] was not obtained by accident... [W]e can regulate, fairly precisely, the nicotine
and sugar levels to almost any desired level management might require."
British American Tobacco, 1963
"Lying is as natural to tobacco executives as breathing once was to their customers."
NY Newsday, 1 September 2006
"Nicotine patches are great. Stick one over each eye and you can't find your cigarettes."
Unknown
MEDIA THEMES
Tobacco companies ask court to allow them to deceive foreign consumers
Only two weeks after U.S. Judge Gladys Kessler found that the major tobacco companies had deceived consumers by
falsely promoting so called 'low tar', 'light', 'ultra light', 'mild' and 'natural' cigarettes as less harmful and banned the
continued use of these deceptive terms, British American Tobacco and Philip Morris/Altria, the two largest multinational
tobacco companies involved in the case and others have filed documents asking Judge Kessler to allow them to continue to
use these misleading terms outside the United States.
"Only an industry that has survived for 50 years by deceiving the American public on a continuing and regular basis
would have trouble complying with an order that tells them to simply tell the truth," said Matthew L. Myers, President,
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "What part of 'tell the truth' don't they understand? The tobacco companies evidently
think that they should be allowed to deceive people overseas about the dangers of cigarettes even though they have been
told to stop doing so in the United States."
The tobacco companies' request to Judge Kessler flies in the face of international efforts to ban such misleading
terms as codified in the global tobacco treaty, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, that has already been
ratified by over 135 countries.
From: Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Media Release, 2 September 2996
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