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| Issue 83 | 6 February 2008 |
Having trouble viewing this newsletter? Try the online version. FROM THE DIRECTOR'S DESK
This is the first step in a much bigger battle about the respectability of tobacco. Out of sight out of mind removes the product from the shelves, but its insidious promotion remains with the packaging. In his presentation to the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference, Rob Cunningham made some hard hitting points about the role of packaging and branding in marketing tobacco. Despite the stronger health warnings about to be enforced, the tobacco industry knows that their colours and emblems are still a strong recruiter of new smokers. Surely the next step is to push for plain packaging. After all, a cigarette is a cigarette is a cigarette. Each will kill you just as effectively as any other. Plain packets with large health warnings and Quitline calling information would be a far better presentation of the truth about cigarettes. This will be another big battle. To maintain the deception keeping smokers loyal and attracting new smokers, the industry will argue that their 'intellectual property' is being attacked and they will threaten decision makers with litigation if their packets are targeted. We will need to rely on a bunch of legislators who have the fortitude to take them on. And it won't stop there. I really enjoyed Janine Paynter's presentation to the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference outlining the scenario where a smoker would have to travel kilometres to the nearest tobacco dispensary, stand in line for hours being bombarded with information about the health consequences of smoking, while watching customers being served quickly who were picking up NRT or other alternatives to smoking. If we are serious about progress toward being smokefree in 10 years, radical reform of this nature is going to be necessary. These days the debate over cessation seems well and truly over – it is a given and well-supported. The challenge now is product and market reform and every new move to attack the industry where they hurt the most has got to be encouraged. Finally, I was asked by one avid reader when the 10 year countdown would begin. In a sense it already has but the clock has not yet officially been turned on. Watch this space. All will be revealed. Have a good fortnight. Mark Peck Director IN THIS ISSUE:
SMOKEFREE COALITION STRATEGIC PLANThe second draft of the Smokefree Coalition's Strategic Plan for 2008 to 2011 is now online for your perusal and comment. Heavy emphasis has been placed on 'denormalisation' and greater efforts being made on market reform. (See the Gravitas Report.) Members and stakeholders are also reminded about the meeting to be held on 27 February for a final consultation discussion. Those wishing to attend should let me know as soon as possible for catering and venue purposes. Please click here for more information. TOBACCO DISPLAYS REVIEW REMINDERYou have until 15 February to make a submission on the Ministry of Health's review of tobacco product displays in retail settings, such as dairies, convenience stores, supermarkets and service stations. You are urged to not only make a submission from your own organisation, but also to encourage individuals (including people from your profession, colleagues, friends and family) and other organisations you may have links with to make submissions on this very important issue. ASH and the Cancer Society have developed a template with recommended responses for organisations and individuals to use if they wish. The template is available from the Smokefree Coalition website in Word format. If you require any assistance please contact Ben Youdan (byoudan@ash.org.nz) or Belinda Hughes (blh@cancer.org.nz) who are more than happy to help. See: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/review-tobacco-displays-nz-consultation?Open for a copy of the consultation document. For a more 'youth-friendly' version, go to
LOOKING AHEAD INTO 2008In this second instalment in our series of articles on the 2008 plans and priorities of tobacco control organisations, HSC Chief Executive Iain Potter updates us on what his organisation has in its sights for the coming year. Health Sponsorship Council (HSC)
We will be looking to maintain the Smokefree Cars and Homes campaign, but will start to wind this down towards the end of 2008 as development begins on the next campaign. We're not yet completely sure what that will be, but we will be working with a number of other agencies to prioritise what we should be addressing. It will be an exciting time as we consider how best to assist moving the tobacco control agenda forward. World Smokefree Day will again be supported as an important opportunity for communities to raise tobacco control issues that concern them, and we will also be working further with Te Reo Marama and Te Hotu Manawa Māori to support the positioning of tobacco control as an issue for Māori leaders, institutions, etc. On the research front, one of the projects we are developing is a new monitor to collect information on smoking, exposure to smoking, smoking/smokefree attitudes, quitting, etc. This will also be the year for the NZ Youth Tobacco Monitor as well as the Year 10 Survey and the Global Youth Tobacco Monitor – all undertaken as one package to increase convenience for schools. HSC always has lots of other things going on, and business will continue as usual – but these are some of the bigger and/or newer items for 2008. NEW SUPPORT FOR QUITTING SMOKINGNew government support for smokers wanting to quit will make it much easier and cheaper for them to access support from their local doctor or other health professional, according to The Quit Group. Executive Director Helen Glasgow says the move to allow all health professionals with prescribing rights to issue low cost nicotine patches and gum is a major boost for smoking cessation in New Zealand. Ms Glasgow says people calling the free national Quitline pay $10.00 – $20.00 a month for nicotine patches and/or gum and the new government initiative means prescribers can now issue the therapy at the same cost. "Studies show that most smokers want to quit and we know that using nicotine patches and gum can double their chances of quitting." The Quit Group administers the Quit Cards programme which gives prescribers access to Quit Cards. Smokers issued with the cards take them to their pharmacy and redeem them for low-cost patches and/or gum. "We are hoping that large numbers of prescribers will take this opportunity to offer advice and support to smokers when they visit health clinics," Ms Glasgow said. In another new move, smokers wanting to quit can also now order low cost nicotine patches and gum from The Quit Group's website at www.quit.org.nz. The Quit Group media release, 31 January 2008 NEW SMOKEFREE SCHOOLS PROJECT MANAGER
The group is pleased to announce the appointment of the Smokefree Schools Project Manager – Kath Blair. Kath has spent the last 10 years as a secondary school teacher and dean. Based at HSC, Kath will be working full-time for the schools group and will be facilitating meetings, managing the group's activities, engaging with schools' stakeholders and reporting on progress. Late last year the group submitted a Schools Action Plan to the Ministry of Health which included a proposal for funding for the group's work. A response is expected within the next four weeks. Kath will keep school stakeholders informed on the group's progress via a schools Google group network (a web-based email subscription service). If you have an active interest or current role in supporting schools with Smokefree/Auahi Kore health promotion and wish to subscribe to this group, please contact Kath directly on 04 472 5777 or email kath@hsc.org.nz. KA PŌ, KA AO, KA AWATEA! TIHEI AUAHI KORE E!
This year the hui will be held in Rotorua at Tangatarua Marae, Waiariki Institute of Technology from Tuesday 8 to Friday 11 April. The hui will be a four day event beginning with three days of valuable training followed by a very informative one day update programme. Over the course of the four days, participants will engage in a variety of presentation and workshop topics that encompass a range of needs for kai-mahi to connect confidently and effectively with their Auahi Kore/Smokefree communities. The themes included in this year's programme will be Te Ao Māori, Māori Health Promotion Models, What is Kaupapa Māori, Effective Planning and Evaluation and a whole lot more. Over the years the THMM Auahi Kore team has brought together a wide range of hugely respected presenters and this year will be no exception. Although the training course has offered similar training themes each year, the team has endeavoured to offer new ways, ideas and perspectives on these themes and we pride ourselves on providing the best and most current information. The presenters this year are again looking to be very stimulating and thought provoking and the team is really excited about the programme. This course has been designed for Māori health workers committed to using the knowledge and skills they gain to promote healthy lifestyle changes for Māori and is available to all health workers supporting Auahi Kore/Smokefree within their Māori communities. The registration fee for the hui is $112.50 (inc GST) per participant. This includes three nights' marae accommodation (8-10 April), meals, all training and materials. Go to www.tehotumanawa.org.nz/smokefree/about.cfm for updates on the programme and presenters, and to access a registration form. For further information contact Kerehi Marsh on 09 638 5802 or email kerehi@thmm.co.nz. NATIONAL TOBACCO CONTROL HUIThe National Tobacco Control Hui will be held Wednesday June 25 - to Friday June 27 at Te Papa Museum in Wellington. Abstracts for the hui are now being called. Click here for a PDF document setting out the criteria to be used when submitting your abstract(s). Abstracts may be submitted for consideration by the programme committee until 31 March and authors will be notified of acceptance by 30 April. Please submit all abstracts to the Conference Secretariat: Moana Tane, Te Hotu Manawa Māori, 2:2 D72 Building, 72 Dominion Road, Mt Eden, Auckland (moanat@thmm.co.nz). PACIFIC ISLANDS HEARTBEAT SMOKING CESSATION SERVICE
This training is intended for health professionals (such as nurses and community health workers) to enhance their knowledge and skills in providing brief advice to patients/smokers and supporting them by making appropriate referrals to services that can help them in the quit process if they are not registered. The program also provides capacity for participants and service providers to become Quit Card providers through the completion of the Cessation Practitioner Training Module 3 and registration with the Quit Card programme. The course has a deliberate emphasis on what is culturally relevant and appropriate for Pacific people. The workshop will be held at the Hutt Valley Hospital Learning Centre (Meeting Room 2) in Lower Hutt, 14-15 February, starting at 9 am. For more information contact Anthony Leaupepe, Training Facilitator, 04 472 2780 ext 2, or e-mail: anthonyl@nhf.org.nz. THROUGH THE SMOKE
A Goofy take on smoking and addiction For a 'Goofy' take on the unattractiveness – and especially the 'addictiveness' – of smoking, have a look at this YouTube video. The six minute cartoon, created in 1951, was way ahead of its time in demonstrating the power of tobacco addiction, and it's done with the usual Walt Disney cleverness and humour. For example, Goofy smokes Phylis Morrison cigarettes which have the tagline "The smoke never gets in my eyes." But wasn't Walt Disney quite a smoker himself?
SMOKEFREE SHORTS
MilestonesLook who has had a birthday recently! Ms Veng Ian Uu, Grace Wong and Karen Beverly. New ZealandSmoking may lower allergy risk "One side effect of this may be that people who smoke may be less likely to develop allergies, but this is a very small benefit compared to the many harmful effects of smoking," said Dr Robert Hancox, of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. 24.com, 25 January 2008 Gambling on rise after three year fall The drop in gambling activity after New Zealand introduced the smoking ban has proved to be temporary, the Gambling Helpline says. It has reported a 10 percent rise in the number of new clients in 2007, and its total client base, including new and existing clients, increased by 13 percent during the year. Chief executive Krista Ferguson said the smoking ban introduced in 2004 was credited with reducing the number of people who gambled, and the number dropped steadily each year. New Zealand Herald, 29 January 2008 From Sideswipe in The New Zealand Herald
"The cigarette was dropped in the process of lighting and, in attempting to rectify the situation, the driver stepped on what she thought was the brake. "Fortunately, the cigarette was located later, floating in the passenger seat area, a little damp but otherwise unharmed!" New Zealand Herald, 31 January 2008 MedSafe knew of anti-smoking drug's perils MedSafe says it has known for months of links between an anti-smoking drug and suicidal thoughts in people taking it. Newly released research in the US shows an increasingly likely link between the drug Chantix, sold here as Champix, and serious psychiatric behaviour. New Zealand Herald, 3 February 2008 InternationalNew study shows tobacco control programmes cut adult smoking rates Greater investments in state tobacco control programs are independently and significantly associated with larger and more rapid declines in adult smoking prevalence, according to a study by researchers at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and RTI International, an independent nonprofit research institute based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Researchers were able to quantify the link between comprehensive tobacco control programs and a decrease in adult smoking Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA) media release, 30 January 2008 A PG13 rating, despite the haze Last May, the Motion Picture Association of America said that all portrayals of smoking would for the first time be considered alongside sex and violence in assessing the suitability of movies for young viewers. The organisation did not guarantee an automatic R rating for films featuring cigarette use, but did say that "pervasive smoking" would lead to a more restrictive rating. How, then, to explain the PG-13 given to Woody Allen's latest film? The cast of Cassandra's Dream burns through so many cigarettes on screen that some patrons have exited theatres feeling like they just paid $12 to sit in the ashtray of an 18-wheeler. The New York Times, 3 February 2008 Half of world's kids are endangered 'passive smokers' A plea to parents and other adults not to expose children to tobacco smoke has been issued by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), whose members – including the Israel Cancer Association (ICA) – are marking International Cancer Awareness Day. Jerusalem Post, 28 January 2008 Philip Morris readies aggressive global push
The idea behind Intense is to appeal to customers who, due to indoor smoking bans, want to dash outside for a quick nicotine hit but don't always finish a full-size cigarette. Pointing to his lit Intense, the CEO says there are "possibly 50 markets that are interested in deploying it." The story includes a video demonstrating a number of other unique new Philip Morris products prepared for international markets, but too strange for the American smoking public. The Wall Street Journal, 29 January 2008 Milwaukee doctors begin clinical trial of 'liquid cigarette' A Milwaukee-area inventor has won government approval to begin testing a new product to help people quit smoking. It is supposed to give smokers the same sensation they get from a cigarette – without all the risks. Wisn.com, 22 January 2008 Big rise in lung cancer Australians are paying a rising price for their past smoking sins, figures show. Private health insurance claims for lung cancer have soared 21 percent for women and 24 percent for men in five years, despite smoking rates falling to record lows. HeraldSun.com, 25 January 2008 Warnings up in smoke with teenagers
In fact, teenage smokers are more aware of the dangers of smoking than their non-smoking peers – but continue to puff away regardless, the study of 2,671 Australian teens from private and public schools shows. This means the 42,000 Victorian teens who smoke more than a million cigarettes a week know the risks of smoking but just don't care. HeraldSun, 26 January 2008 Can we really stop teenagers smoking? Three months ago the legal age for buying tobacco rose to 18, but Mark Stuart, head of research at The Chartered Institute of Marketing (Wales), says the new law alone won't stop teenagers from lighting up and marketing is key to changing perceptions of the evil weed. icWales.com, 23 January 2008 Smoking pot worse than tobacco Heavy pot smokers will suffer serious lung disease two decades earlier than their cigarette-smoking counterparts, and the style of dope smoking is to blame, according to a study. The deep, slow inhalation and long breath-hold is predisposing cannabis smokers to a condition of rapid lung destruction much younger in life, Melbourne researchers have found. A team from the Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine at Monash University reviewed the lung condition of middle-aged chronic cannabis smokers. NZ Herald, 25 January 2008 Female smokers double in Russia Smoking rates have more than doubled in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, researchers say. The Bath University-led team said "aggressive targeting" of women by tobacco firms was behind the rise. Researchers monitoring 7,000 people over 11 years found 7 percent of women smoked in 1992, compared with 15 percent in 2003, the Tobacco Control journal reports. Manufacturer British American Tobacco said the increase was due to Russians having more money for cigarettes. BBC News, 27 January 2008 More people quit than ever before (UK)
Only 22 percent of Britons aged 16 and above smoke – down from 24 percent the year before, an ONS study found. The survey took place before the beginning of the smoking ban in England on 1 July last year – meaning rates are likely to fall further. The Government looks likely to meet its target to reduce smoking rates to 21 percent by 2010, as well as another goal to cut smoking among manual workers to 26 percent at the same time. Daily Mail, 22 January 2008 World Health Organization to release first report on global tobacco use and control efforts Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the world and one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. It kills 5.4 million people a year. Unchecked, the death toll could increase to more than 8 million a year by 2030. To intensify efforts to reverse this growing epidemic, the World Health Organization is releasing a new report which provides, for the first time, an analysis of the state of tobacco use and control efforts across the world. WHO Media Advisory, 31 January 2008 QUOTABLE QUOTES"In the United States Philip Morris tries to portray itself as a responsible company that will somehow both sell you cigarettes and help you quit smoking." Editorial – Philip Morris' devious new cigarette, Newsday, 31 January 2008 "Smoking is also presented by the tobacco industry as fashionable, groovy and sophisticated, which young people feel is a more attractive message than one telling them they are going to get lung cancer." Fiona Sharkie, Quit Victoria Executive Director |
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In the last Update I made a lot of the work being done to bring about a ban on cigarette
promotion at point-of-sale. I'd like to remind that, if you haven't already done so, you have until 15 February to get a submission to the Ministry of Health in response to their consultation document on this issue.
The Smokefree Schools Group (a sub-group of the National Smokefree/Auahi Kore Working Group) was formed last year to "increase the number of schools effectively addressing smoking uptake" (this includes cessation).
It's that time of year again when the Te Hotu Manawa Māori (THMM) Auahi Kore team embarks on its annual National Auahi Kore
training course and update hui.
Introduction
to smoking cessation 
Where
possible, links are provided below the stories. Please click these to read the
story in full.
Bart Couprie from Devonport writes: "A young lady was negotiating her vehicle through the carpark outside our building whilst lighting a cigarette. 
Sitting in his office overlooking Lake Geneva, Philip Morris International Chief Executive André Calantzopoulos takes a long drag from an unusually short cigarette. Called
Marlboro Intense, the product has been shrunk down by about a half inch, and offers smokers seven potent puffs apiece, versus the average of eight or so milder draws.
Young smokers are refusing to give up, even though they know smoking may kill them, a study has found.
The number of smokers has fallen to a record low, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed.