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FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK
The purpose of the Update is to provide information on local and relevant international trends as well as editorial comment and information about activities by Smokefree Coalition members. We're also to be a vehicle for feedback on the content of the Update. Almost all respondents said the reason they read the Update is to stay current with what is happening in tobacco control both in New Zealand and overseas. All but one said that it always or usually meets their needs in this regard. The following is a short summary of some of the other results:
These results indicate that in most areas, the Update is doing its job and is reasonably well received. It seems that it could do with a bit of a facelift, and that's something well be looking at over the next few weeks. The main change you'll notice in this and future Updates relates to a different way of structuring the stories. From this issue on, many of the stories will just be a paragraph or two with links to the full article on the web. This allows us to include more stories and cater to a wider range of interests while taking up less space. We'll still run full stories when they're important or when they aren't available online. The "Media Themes" section will be retired in light of this. Shortening the Update in this way enables us to action a suggestion from several respondents – the inclusion of more local content and information from various sectors within the New Zealand tobacco control community. Accordingly, we'll feature more guest editorials, and we'll look at profiling different organisations or groups in New Zealand tobacco control as often as we can. This will require your input, so if you have something to say or share, or would like to lift the profile around what you're doing, please drop us a line – director@sfc.org.nz. The only other change will be to "Blast from the Past". This has always been well received, but it hasn't changed much over the years. We'll still run the old ads from time to time, but will also endeavour to provide a greater range of visuals in this section around a greater range of topics. We'll rename the section "Through the smoke". Once again, thanks to all those who took the time to contribute to the feedback survey. Have a good fortnight. Mark Peck Director IN THIS ISSUE:
SFC CONGRATULATES LIFE EDUCATION TRUST FOR TOBACCO MONEY STANCEThe Smokefree Coalition is congratulating the Life Education Trust for its decision to no longer accept funding from British American Tobacco (BAT). The Trust, which provides health-based education in schools – including a module on the effects of legal and illegal drugs – has received funding from BAT for a number of years. Smokefree Coalition Director Mark Peck says the Trust's tobacco industry funding had long concerned the smokefree community, and he was delighted the funding arrangement had ceased. "We all know that funding is not easy to find, and the Life Education Trust is to be congratulated for making the hard call and ending its association with BAT. It was the right thing to do. "The tobacco industry makes many millions of dollars a year from the sale of tobacco to young people. Many of these young people get hooked, putting them at risk of tobacco-related illnesses and early death later on. "Meanwhile, the industry funds youth drug-use prevention programmes, and uses this as an example of why they are responsible corporate citizens. "Smoking prevention programmes offered to children and young people should never have any links to the tobacco industry. Good on you Life Education Trust for putting the kids first." Smokefree Coalition media release, 4 April 2007 WORLD SMOKEFREE DAY - 31 MAY 2007
"Smokefree... it's about us / Kia Auahi Kore mō tātou te kaupapa." 'Us' are the young people of Aotearoa New Zealand. We are working towards a smokefree/auahi kore future for them and with them. As in previous years, this theme has been designed so that it can be adapted to compliment the tobacco control priorities of different communities, for example,
All of these activities can contribute to reducing smoking initiation by young people. You can find out more about World Smokefree Day at www.worldsmokefreeday.org.nz. UNANSWERED SNUS QUESTIONSA Ministry of Health-commissioned review of the health effects of Swedish snus aims to inform the debate about whether snus and similar products have a role in reducing tobacco related harm in New Zealand. The review, carried out by New Zealand Health Technology Assessment, a research unit of the University of Otago, provides an independent assessment of international studies on modified smokeless tobacco products. The Ministry of Health's Ashley Bloomfield says the systematic review looked at the best quality research studies, which all evaluated snus, a form of oral moist Swedish snuff. The tobacco in snus is modified so that it is low in nitrosamines, the cancer causing agents found in tobacco products. "There is much debate in the tobacco control community in New Zealand and internationally on the place of modified smokeless tobacco products such as snus. Those on either side of the debate tend to cite research that supports their position. This review provides an independent assessment that will inform what we do from here." The review confirms that snus carries a considerably lower risk of harm than smoked tobacco, but that there are still many unanswered questions about its long term safety and the role it might play - if any - in reducing smoking. Dr Bloomfield says it's important to ensure that New Zealand has a comprehensive tobacco control programme, including legislation, and continues to keep up with international best practice. Strengthening effective smoking cessation services is a key priority to ensure that smokers are prompted and supported to quit. "Most experts agree that complete cessation is the best outcome for smokers. All parties agree that promoting snus for harm reduction should not be at the expense of diverting significant resources away from the public health goal of eliminating tobacco use." The Ministry of Health is not reviewing the legal status of modified smokeless tobacco products and does not plan to in the near future. These products can currently be imported for personal use, but are subject to excise tax and their distribution, sale and promotion within New Zealand are prohibited. Ministry of Health media release, 29 March 2007 THROUGH THE SMOKE
SMOKEFREE SHORTS
New ZealandTeachers 'handed out smokes for good behaviour' Teachers at a school for children with serious emotional and behavioural problems have been handing out cigarettes as a reward for good behaviour - and allegedly giving packets of tobacco to some as young as 13. Felix Donnelly College's latest Education Review Office report slams three of the school's four sites, listing concerns about student and staff safety, the state of buildings and the quality of education provided. New Zealand Herald, 25 March 2007 Prosecution over illicit tobacco Motueka farmer Lawrence Jury is being prosecuted by Customs following a two-year surveillance operation on properties believed to be illicitly manufacturing and distributing tobacco. Customs officers gave evidence of finding almost four tonnes of tobacco leaf as well as manufactured tobacco on his property. Jury faces charges of manufacturing tobacco in an unlicensed area together with Anthony and Robert Brereton, and selling, exchanging or otherwise disposing of 8.125kg of tobacco illegally. Nelson Mail, 27 March 2007 WorldwideSurvey: communication gap between doctors and smokers There is a significant communication gap between doctors' smoking cessation practices and smokers' experiences according to combined results from two of the largest international surveys of physicians' and smokers' attitudes to smoking and smoking cessation. Although 66 percent of doctors said they explain various methods of quitting to their patients, only half of this total of smokers who have talked to a doctor about smoking (33 percent) said they received this advice. In addition, although 47 percent of doctors stated that they develop quit plans for their patients to assist them, only a quarter of this total of smokers who have talked to a doctor about smoking (13 percent) said this was the case. Scoop, 26 March 2007 Great stories, less smoking
The Harvard recommendations were straightforward: end the depiction of smoking in films targeted to children and youth and include fewer characters in movies smoking. "Imagine a 13-year-old child watching PG-13 films and being bombarded 14 times per hour with powerfully seductive images of smoking by their favourite stars," one Harvard public health official told the MPAA. Edmonton Sun, 4 April 2007 Smokers clock up extra sick days Smokers take an average of almost eight days more sick leave every year than their non-smoking colleagues, suggests research published in Tobacco Control. The research team studied more than 14,000 workers in Sweden between 1988 and 1991. The authors say that their findings point to smoking as having a significant impact on productivity. News-Medical.Net, 1 April 2007 Anti-smoking ads too graphic for peak hour Singapore's graphic anti-smoking TV ads are working – but now will be aired only at night following complaints that they're too disturbing for children. In one of the government Health Promotion Board's ads, a sunken-eyed woman with cracked lips and brownish, deformed teeth appears under the headline: "Quitting is hard. Not quitting, is harder." The ads now will only be shown after 8 pm local time and will be preceded by a message warning viewers of the graphic content. Yahoo News, 29 March 2007 Miss America and tobacco shouldn't mix
New Hampshire paper the Concord Monitor says the Miss America program and its New Hampshire chapter are wrong to participate in the tobacco company's program. The program and its contestants are role models for some girls. They should not be associated with a product dangerous to their young fans. Concord Monitor, 2 April 2007 Genes may make quitting harder In the first study of its kind, scientists have identified a series of genetic traits for addictiveness that appear to be inherited by smokers who try but fail to kick the habit. Scientists believe that the findings could soon open the way to testing a person's genetic make-up to see whether they can be weaned off cigarettes with the help of specially-targeted treatments. "The long-term hope is that identifying genetic variables in smokers will help us determine which type of treatment would be most effective," said Jed Rose, of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. The Independent, 3 April 2007 Second-hand smoke and pollution possibly worse than bomb fallout
A study of radiation exposure caused by the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945 and the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant has suggested that they have posed similar or lower health risks to survivors than the more prevalent problems of air pollution, smoking and obesity. The Times Online, 3 April 2007 British Big Brother Ban Smoking is to be stubbed out in the UK Big Brother house after health chiefs declared it a workplace. Producers could be fined up to £2,500 if housemates flout the rule when it becomes law in England on 1 July, less than half way through the show's run. One Big Brother source said: "The kind of people we sign up are often the type of people who like a fag. If they are banned from smoking, the atmosphere could get pretty tense." The Sun, 3 April 2007 No smoking at the wheel Smoking while driving has been banned in the Indian capital in an attempt to reduce the hundreds of deaths from road accidents in the city annually. The Delhi High Court ruled that those caught smoking behind the wheel will be fined 500 rupees ($NZ14). Bay of Plenty Times, 27 March 2007 Wales Ban A ban on smoking in enclosed public places including pubs and bars in Wales began on 1 April. Anyone caught lighting up will face a £50 ($NZ140) fine. The ban will cover England from 1 July. Scotland has recently heralded its year-old ban as a success. Waikato Times, 2 April 2007 QUOTABLE QUOTES"No one has died from hearing the F-word, but hundreds of thousands of people in North America die annually from tobacco-related diseases." Barry Bloom, Dean of the Harvard School of Public Health speaking to the Motion Picture Association
of America about excessive smoking in movies. "I was opposed to the smoking ban because I didn't want the government to control my business. When the prohibition first went into place, business declined for about three weeks, but after that I received even more business. It was the best thing that ever happened to my restaurant." Dawn McGee, owner of Smitty McGee's in Fenwick Island, Delaware |
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Produced by The
Smokefree Coalition. PO Box 12-084, Wellington. |
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If you are considering using any material from the Smokefree Coalition Tobacco Control Update, please first seek permission from Mark Peck - director@sfc.org.nz |
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In this issue I want to highlight the recent survey we undertook to find out what you all thought about the Update. Thank you to everyone who took part. Overall we found the ideas and comments really helpful.
Congratulations to Michele Grigg who was selected at random from the pool of respondents to win the $100 music voucher. 
The focus for World Smokefree Day 2007 is on creating a smokefree/auahi kore future for the young people of Aotearoa New Zealand. The theme is:
Where
possible, links are provided below the stories. Please click these to access full stories.
There are signs that new Motion Picture Association of America
(MPAA) chairman Dan Glickman is taking more seriously the immense influence the depiction of smoking in films has on impressionable youth. Glickman, a former congressman, recently asked for a briefing with Harvard School of Public Health experts on the behavioural influence of films that depict tobacco use.
Tobacco company R. J. Reynolds is paying Emily Hughes, Miss New Hampshire, $250 per appearance to present tobacco prevention programmes in schools. 
Everyday hazards such as inhaling polluted city air or other people's cigarette smoke are potentially worse for your health than being exposed to the radioactive fallout of an atomic bomb, according to new research.