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| Issue 67 | 23 May 2007 |
FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK
It was also good to read the statement from ASH about 25 years of progress. We can all take a bow for work well done. Significantly it has been the work of a united tobacco control sector that has achieved this result. I particularly think of people like Helen Glasgow, Trish Fraser, Boyd Swinburn, Leigh Sturgiss, Jennifer Lamb, Becky Freeman, and Barbara Langford – all of whom spearheaded campaigns for tobacco control and took steps towards providing cessation services. These people have largely moved on and have been replaced by a new crop of activists/advocates. The issues have shifted from smokefree environments and cessation services to product regulation and harm reduction. The work none the less remains critical in making progress against high smoking prevalence and the consequent death burden. A couple of people recently have raised the issue of "targets." What target are we aiming for in terms of a prevalence figure? Becky Freeman once said to me that if smoking prevalence was at about 5 percent she would consider it time to "hang her boots up." The Reserve Bank has targets to meet in its pursuit of price stability, measured against the medium term. The Bank is allowed to get on with it and is free from political interference. Sure, sometimes the politicians get frustrated, but in truth there is little they can do unless they change the law. One of the issues in the Gravitas report – Discussion Document and Literature Review: Tobacco Product Regulation and Policy Frameworks – is around the establishment of a Tobacco Control Authority based on the Reserve Bank model. While I do not want to pre-empt the debate to occur on 25 and 26 June, I am quite attracted to that idea. Have the decision makers set a target and then tell the authority to get on with it. Hold them accountable for progress by stipulating some ambitious targets and give them the remit to suggest the policy platform that will achieve the results. There is however, one policy that always remains the preserve of the decision makers and that is the issue of price (tax/excise). There are many good things that can and must be done to bring about a consumption/prevalence drop, but the evidence about tax being the most effective single intervention to get a result is too strong to be ignored. I was therefore mighty pleased to see the New Zealand Medical Association stake out its territory in its budget comments when they said they were disappointed that there had been no tax increase. More than any other health professionals, doctors deal with the tragic effects of smoking on their patients. Telling a patient that they are dying from a smoking related illness is no fun. And the solution is simple – don't smoke. Either stop or don't start! Price is a key factor in helping the individual to make that choice. Thank you Dr Peter Foley! Have a good fortnight. Mark Peck Director IN THIS ISSUE:
ASH APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR TO HEAD FUTURE CHALLENGES
Smoky bars are a thing of the past, tobacco advertising is banned and smoking rates are slowly on their way down. Despite this, tobacco is still a leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand. ASH NZ has appointed a new director to take on fresh challenges. Ben Youdan takes over from Becky Freeman who has moved on to tobacco control work in Australia. Ben comes to ASH NZ from the UK where he was Chief Executive of the charity 'No Smoking Day' an organisation dedicated to helping smokers who want to stop. Ben has worked internationally as part of the European Network on Tobacco Control and supported the setting up of No Smoking Day campaigns in Europe and New Zealand. "New Zealand has an excellent track record in tackling tobacco, but there's still plenty we need to get done," says Mr Youdan. "Tobacco is taking the lives of 5000 New Zealanders every year. That's like two jumbo jets full of passengers crashing every week. It is totally unacceptable that this level of tragedy continues when we have the power to prevent these deaths." Mr Youdan also believes that New Zealand needs to remove point of sale displays and put them under the counter so it's out of sight, and hence out of mind, as soon as possible. "The tobacco industry has had a grip on New Zealanders for far too long. It's a priority to get rid of their final strangleholds such as retail advertising, branding and the fact that something so deadly is almost totally unregulated." ASH NZ was set up by concerned health professionals in 1982. It works to increase awareness of tobacco and the industry that produces the product, advocate for policies that help people quit smoking, and to improve the health of all New Zealanders by reducing tobacco use. ASH Media statement – 17 May 2007 WORLD SMOKEFREE DAY ROUNDUPIn the last Update we asked tobacco control workers around the country to send in reports of what they or their organisations are doing for World Smokefree Day on 31 May. Thanks to all those who contributed. A summary is included below.
Christine Solomon of Aukati Kaipaipa writes: We are planning a whānau celebration on World Smokefree Day. It's being held at Te Rangimarie Marae, which is the first auahi kore marae in Christchurch. Mary McCulloch, CEO, Te Hotu Manawa Māori, will be our guest speaker and Shelley Norris from the Canterbury Flames will be our MC. We will be acknowledging those that have managed to quit as well as encouraging those that are still trying. Six of our "champions" (those who have quit for 12 months or more) will be sharing what motivated them to quit and how they reached their goals. There will be spot prizes, waiata and of course kai for everyone. Hopefully this will be the start of having annual celebrations for our Aukati Kaipaipa whānau. Bridget Rowse, Smokefree Coordinator for the Northland DHB writes: WSFD 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind' campaign is a collaborative venture with Northland DHB Smokefree Team, Health Promoting Schools and Fruit in Schools and Action on Smoking & Health (ASH) and Cancer Society Northland, working with Whangarei Fruit in Schools (FIS) and Whangarei High Schools. We will celebrate WSFD by petitioning for the removal of retail displays of tobacco products from behind the counter and putting them under the counter - Out of sight, Out of Mind. Remove the 'Power wall': remove the tobacco industry's power over our kids. Each school will be given a banner two weeks prior to WSFD. The youth will add their thumbprint and signature to the banner saying they agree with bringing down the power wall. They will present the banner to Northland's MPs. We have arranged for local media to be present to record the occasion, and local radio stations will play the WSFD advert to promote the event. There will also be a written petition where students will obtain parent and community signatures, and the Smokefree Team and the Cancer Society will be in Cameron Street Mall, Whangarei, at lunchtime on Thursday 31 May making the petition available for the public to sign.
Punters are invited to come to the Petone Esplanade/Heretaunga Boat Club at 12.00pm to enjoy a free barbeque, spot prizes, fun activities and some quit coaching sessions. Sue Campbell from Smokefree Health Promotion at Wairau Hospital writes: Marlborough youth are organising media articles in the Marlborough Express. The media class at Marlborough Girls College is writing up The Soap Box and interviewing youth to get opinions about youth smoking. They are talking about the silent majority who do not smoke and what they are choosing to do instead. We also have Not our future ads going in two local papers and on our local Sounds Fm radio. A WSFD event at Marlborough Girls College will have asthma educators present and lots of fun activities. Smokefree Babies is happening again at Wairau Hospital with every newborn receiving a smokefree sunshade with their 'new mum goodies'. All practice nurses in Marlborough providing free smoking cessation received a WSFD bag, pad and pen etc to celebrate their good work. There is also a smokefree artwork competition happening for 11-18 year olds, and the best entries will be painted up on a sports pavilion in our smokefree ballpark. Review of Evidence for Major Population-Level Tobacco Control Interventions
The review aimed to identify the most recent scientific evidence for the effectiveness of major population-level tobacco control interventions and to consider the findings and their implications in a New Zealand context. It was based on searches of the peer-reviewed scientific literature but with a particular focus on "systematic reviews" i.e. Cochrane Systematic Reviews (CSR) and reviews by the US Task Force on Community Preventive Services (TFCPS). The focus on the interventions was generally limited to addressing immediate determinants of smoking and current smoking behaviour rather than more upstream causes.
The publication is available in Word and PDF format at the Ministry of Health website:
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/ INTRODUCING KRISTEN FOLEY
Kristen has come from the Wellington Institute of Technology where he has been lecturing in community recreation and health promotion. Prior to that he worked as the Event Manager for Massey University Wellington, and as the coordinator of the Hutt Valley Active Communities project. This project encouraged communities in the Hutt Valley to increase their physical activity levels. Kristen has also worked as a programme coordinator for Sport Wellington Region where he was involved in engaging physical activity and sports groups with the aim of identifying needs and improving capability. He is passionate about working with the community and is looking forward to working with the various Central Region Smokefree/ Auahi Kore networks and meeting with you all soon. Kristen can be contacted on 04 5709022, 027 2853490 or kristen.foley@huttvalleydhb.org.nz. CALL FOR SMOKEFREE RESERVES
The service was not asking for an outright ban but said as support for smokefree policies grew declaring parks and reserves smokefree was the next logical step. "Smoking has no place in sport, in our playgrounds or in our children's lives," Dr Holdaway said in his submission. He suggested using signage similar to that used in Taranaki which said, "This park contains fresh Taranaki air. Please do not smoke in our parks." Dr Holdaway said the proposal had received support from the Horowhenua and Manawatu District Councils and he was scheduled to speak with Tararua and Kapiti's councils. He said public attitudes to smoking had changed. In January 2001 just 61 percent of people supported removing smoking from bars. By 2006 this figure had reached 80 percent with 60 percent of smokers supporting the move. Manawatu Standard, 10 May 2007 THE QUIT GROUP UPDATE – APRIL 2007A total of 2,055 callers were registered with the Quitline in April. 21.6 percent of registered callers were Māori (444), 78.2 percent were New Zealand European (1606) and 4.7 percent (96) of the callers identified themselves as Pacific peoples. The highest proportion of callers was in the 20-24 age bracket, followed by the 25-29 age group. The drop in registrations relates to the fact that there was minimal Quit advertising on television last month. Registrations tend to drop off rapidly when campaigns are off air.
ROUND 2 OF THE BLOOMBERG GRANTS PROGRAMProject Ideas are now being accepted for Round 2 of the Bloomberg Grants Program. A global initiative to reduce tobacco use in low and middle-income countries was launched in 2006 with funds from Michael R. Bloomberg. A competitively awarded grants program is an important part of the initiative. The grants program supports projects to develop and deliver high-impact tobacco control interventions and is managed by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (the Union) and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The due date for submissions for Round 2 is 13 June 2007. For further information about the grants program, including the Call for Proposals and instructions on how to apply for a grant, visit www.tobaccocontrolgrants.org. PACIFIC ISLANDS HEARTBEAT SMOKING CESSATION FOLLOW-UP WORKSHOP
The workshop will be held at Kenepuru Hospital in Porirua on Friday 22 June. For more information contact Anthony Leaupepe, training facilitator: 04 472 2780 ext 2. THROUGH THE SMOKE
Source: According to the inventor, current cigarette filters (circa 1966) don't filter enough tar and nicotine from tobacco smoke. He discovered that cheese makes a very efficient tobacco filter. But wait! Before you go dipping your cigarette into last week's leftover Brie, you need to follow this simple recipe; use only a hard cheese such as Parmesan, Romano or Swiss (what, no smoked Gouda?) Grate the cheese into small pieces and mix with one third part charcoal. The charcoal helps absorb cheese oil and keeps the cheese filter from becoming rancid and odorous before it reaches your lips. SMOKEFREE SHORTS
New ZealandHospital staff among illegal puffers Southland Hospital bosses have been told to get their own staff in order before bagging the public for smoking on hospital grounds. The entire Southland Hospital has been a smoke-free zone since 2004, but an Invercargill woman says she has smoked cigarettes with hospital security staff twice in recent months and seen uniformed nurses smoking in their parked cars at the hospital. The Southland Times, 14 May 2007 International"Hooked" anti-smoking ads spark record complaints
Nearly 800 complaints were made about a series of poster, TV, newspaper and Internet adverts which many felt were offensive and distressing, particularly to children. Yahoo News, 17 May 2007
'Half' unaware of smoke ban date Almost half of people are unaware that England's smoking ban will come into force on 1 July, according to a poll. But the survey of 1,700 people, carried out for the Department of Health, found over 90 percent did know a ban was coming in. BBC News, 12 May 2007 No safe cigarette, Imperial CEO says Canada's largest manufacturer of tobacco products insists it's a socially responsible corporation even though its chief executive officer Benjamin Kemball told a Canadian club: "As a tobacco company, we meet demand for a legal product that has no such thing as a safe version and we have a duty to act responsibly." The Gazette, 20 May 2007 Fort Lauderdale may ban flicking cigarette butts
The city attorney is also researching whether Fort Lauderdale can ban smoking on the beach altogether. Fox News, 16 May 2007
Manufacturing scientific uncertainty While aggressively marketing tobacco, the tobacco industry also waged a successful public relations campaign designed to create uncertainty about the destructive and lethal characteristics of their products. Though discovery of these efforts has come too late for many tobacco smokers, documents unearthed in lawsuits have revealed concerted efforts to avoid the imposition of government regulation by attacking public health science and scientists. The Nation, 5 May 2007 Violence, sex... and smoking? Depictions of smoking in movies will now be a factor when deciding a film's rating, possibly making a PG-13 movie R-rated, the Motion Picture Association of America said Thursday. The policy affects only new movies. Along with violence, depictions of sex, adult language and other content considerations, ratings organisations will examine new releases to determine if they glamorise smoking or if it is pervasive through the films, even among adults. Underage smoking has always been considered when rating a film. The Cincinnati Post, 11 May 2007 Smoking ban could endanger pets
But Brits seem unconcerned and continue to light up when their pets are around. Life Style Extra, 7 May 2007
Test shows smoking's impact A study conducted in seven northern and central Wisconsin counties shows places allowing smoking have air pollution 12 times higher than non-smoking places. The study measured the particles in the air smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter. Particles this size, released in significant amounts by cigarette smoke, are easily inhaled and cause a variety of health problems, including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, according to the study. Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, 9 May 2007 Pub takings up since smoking ban Licensees had predicted Wales' smoking ban would sound a death knell for the drinks trade - but more than a quarter of pubs in South Wales have seen their profits soar. The Echo's poll of pubs in South Wales showed beer sales are up at 28 per cent of watering holes, while just 14 per cent said they had seen trade plummet – with the rest showing no change. IC Wales website, 2 May 2007 Beijing considers ban on smoking at Olympic venues
Deccan Herald, 14 May 2007
Japan says fewer men smoking More and more Japanese men were quitting smoking, with the percentage of male smokers falling below 40 percent in 2005 for the first time in two decades, according to a government survey. The annual survey, conducted by the Health Ministry, showed 39.3 percent of all Japanese adult men smoked as of the end of 2005, down four percentage points from a year before. Reuters, 16 May 2007 QUOTABLE QUOTES"I stopped smoking last year. In spite of all the horror stories you hear, it's not that hard. For about two weeks it's like having a small Gollum following you around and nagging for something... Long butts in ashtrays and even on the ground look precioussss, and you hear that nagging voice: "Grab it and light it!" Martin Gibson, Gisborne Herald, 8 May 2007 "When you talk of freedoms, I think somebody else's freedom ends when it enters my lungs." North Carolina Republican Jeff Barnhart "This remains a very important opportunity for the American people to have their day in court against big tobacco and its marketing practices. I urge Congress to provide the funding to allow the lawsuit to move forward, and not to shield the tobacco industry from the consequences of its actions." Bill Clinton "Never slap a man who chews tobacco." Willard Scott (American media personality and author) |
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So the budget has come and gone. No real surprises, but it was good to see an increased commitment to the health sector. Keep an eye out this week for an announcement from Associate
Health Minister Damien O'Connor in respect to some new money for tobacco control. Any little bit more is always welcome.
This year marks 25 years of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) NZ, the group dedicated to reducing/fighting the death toll of tobacco in New Zealand.
HSC's World Smokefree Day site features a number of similar stories about the regional teams around the country doing a fantastic job promoting smokefree/auahi kore in the lead up to World Smokefree Day. For a taste of the positive ways teams are engaging with their communities and highlighting and celebrating smokefree/auahi kore, visit
Kokiri Marae in Seaview, Wellington, in conjunction with
Valley and Midvalley PHO is running a Bin your Cigarettes day on 31 May. They've put out a flyer entitled
You can help create a Smokefree future encouraging people to take that first step by using World Smokefree Day to bin their cigarettes. 
The Ministry of Health recently commissioned Nick Wilson to update the Review of Evidence Major Population-Level Tobacco Control Interventions.
Welcome to Kristen Foley who is the new Regional Smokefree/Auahi Kore Coordinator for the Central Region.
MidCentral District Health Board's Public Health Service wants to see smoking removed from parks, sports fields and reserves.
Robert Holdaway has presented a submission to the Palmerston North City Council asking
councillors to "de normalise" smoking and push for a culture change by removing it from public areas, especially where young people congregate.
A one-day relapse prevention follow-up workshop will be held for providers who have completed earlier courses. It equips health professionals and community health workers with the skills to provide intensive and ongoing support for people who have quit smoking. This workshop also provides an opportunity to review the brief intervention approaches used and review any case studies (if applicable).
This is a picture from an actual patent for a cheese-filtered cigarette issued in 1966 (US Patent 3,234,948).
Where
possible, links are provided below the stories. Please click these to access full stories.
British Government anti-smoking posters featuring men and women with fish hooks through their mouths attracted one of the highest numbers of complaints the advertising standards watchdog has ever received.
Cigarette butts may soon be subject to litter laws in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. City commissioners say they want to make it a municipal violation to flick a cigarette butt, especially on the beach. They'll soon vote to define the butts as "solid waste," which would put them under litter laws.
More than a million pets will suffer when the tobacco ban drives Brits to smoke at home, it was claimed today.
Cigarette smoke has the same effects on animals as it does on humans, causing coughing, bronchitis and potentially fatal illnesses.
Beijing city is considering a ban on smoking in public areas, including the venues for the next year's Olympic Games. According to a draft regulation on tobacco-free Games by the Beijing municipal government, smoking would be prohibited at eight Olympic areas such as venues, hotels, restaurants, public transport and the Olympic Village. Offenders face a fine of 10 yuan (USD 1.3), the Beijing Daily said. But special smoking areas can be created in those places, the paper said.