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| Issue 123 | 20 August 2009 | ||||
Having trouble viewing this newsletter? Try the online version. IN THIS ISSUE:
Guest editorial
With just over a month until I go on a year's maternity leave, this editorial seemed like a good opportunity to update everyone on the work of the Cancer Society and the progress we've seen in the last few years. The Cancer Society is the only agency that fully funds its tobacco control work from community donations and has both a national and local presence in Smokefree. In recent years we've tried to focus our work on policy advocacy (i.e. tobacco displays and smokefree councils) as well as working with social services to reach high priority communities. Working with Social Services: Smokers are more often than not from disadvantaged communities, they are more likely to be unemployed and have lower levels of incomes and education. The Cancer Society has been working with social services to support and encourage agencies outside the health sector to promote smokefree messages. We have now been working with Family Budgeting Services for three years and have seen staff in that organisation increasingly take on board the smokefree message. More recently we've been working with Housing New Zealand – and in September will see our new 'Quit smoking for the ones you love' resources distributed to Housing NZ tenants and offices around the country. We are looking forward to seeing this relationship continue to grow in the coming years. This month, the Society is running a series of capacity building workshops with South Australian academic Dr Sharon Lawn on the issue of smoking and mental health to support the move to make mental health facilities smokefree. Dr Lawn has worked in the area for more than a decade and her research has led to extensive changes in practice in Australian mental health facilities. Workshops for mental health staff are being held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch plus we have organised sessions for Aukati KaiPaipa and Quitline cessation staff in Wellington. Out of Sight, Out of Mind – Protect Our Children from Tobacco Marketing: The Cancer Society continues to focus its lobbying energy on the campaign to get tobacco out of sight in shops. We see the removal of displays as a key strategy to protect both young people and smokers from tobacco marketing. We are committed to seeing New Zealand catch up with the likes of Canada, Ireland, Thailand, Iceland, many parts of Australia and soon the UK, which have already moved to get tobacco out of sight in shops. This campaign will continue to be our priority policy advocacy focus heading into 2010. For more information see www.protectourchildren.org.nz. Smokefree Councils: Since the Cancer Society began promoting smokefree outdoor policies in 2005 more than 20 Councils have adopted smokefree policies, with Christchurch City Council the most recent to take the plunge. We have collaborated with HSC and smokefree health promoters from all over the country with this work, and the Society works actively at a local and national level to support councils to promote smokefree outdoor areas and events by funding research and evaluation, supporting signage costs and lobbying at a grassroots level. Most recently we've been working with students from Otago University to look more closely into the way tobacco companies have tried to leverage the litter issue to their own advantage through their support of Keep NZ Beautiful and the sponsorship of a Packaging Council Award. This research was recently presented at a seminar in Wellington and a paper will be published soon. For more information see www.smokefreecouncils.org.nz. The Cancer Society is proud of its smokefree work which we believe is strategic and innovative. On a personal note, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with a large range of partners through the years. I'm sure that whoever takes on my role over the next twelve months will continue to work collaborative with all our partners to contribute to making Tobacco Free Aotearoa a reality for all. It's been a pleasure to work with you and I look forward to returning in a year's time. Quit adverts' Adrian Pilkington succumbs to cancer
After many years of smoking, Adrian was diagnosed with oral cancer and had his tongue removed. The advertisements showed him speaking through a 'trachy' device and not being able to eat normally. Sadly, Adrian died on Thursday 6 August, and the thanks of everyone in the smokefree movement go to him for his courage and fortitude in choosing to help others in this way. His spirit will live on in those lives he changed with his story. Welcome to new Quit Group Chief Executive Paula Snowden
"Often when you join an organisation it is at a time of change and the first few months are spent organising and planning for that – getting the house in order so to speak. Not this time," says Paula, formerly Director of Māori and Community Relations at the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). "I've come to The Quit Group at a time when the organisation is clearly working brilliantly, helping huge amounts of people and with a very impressive quit-rate. The staff are very skilled in their areas and their passion for the task is really wonderful to see. But none of us are under any illusions – the job ahead of us, of pushing on towards a Smokefree Aotearoa 2020, is still a big ask." At ACC Paula's role was to improve access to the scheme for Māori, Pacific, Asian and older people, along with people with disabilities. Paula, whose tribal affiliation is Ngapuhi, has also had spells at the Alcohol Advisory Council as Deputy Chief Executive and Housing New Zealand, where she was in charge of a number of social housing programmes. This included rural sub-standard housing, social services housing development and assistance and home ownership for modest income families. "When you're working in any social services area you're always trying to improve things for individuals, families and communities. Some of the things you're working on will be structural, effective programmes delivered effectively. Sometimes it's about influencing people's attitudes and beliefs. More often it is a combination of both that is needed to get the results we are all looking for. "What is exciting, and a challenge, is getting that balance right. You have to mix the rules and regulations with the incentives and benefits, support non-smoking and deliver interventions that support quitting. The balance is something those working across the sector have been getting right. Smokefree environments, change messaging and cessation services – they are all needed. "I'm not going to try and re-invent the wheel, I'm here to take the fight forward – to keep New Zealand engaged with the need to invest in bringing down our rates of smoking, to reduce the numbers who start and to bring down the smoking rates in populations where it is more prevalent – Māori and Pacific. The Quit Group will know it is succeeding when we can report Māori and Pacific with the same quit rates as the whole population. Smokefree 2020 for all is the goal." New Face the Facts messages
Face the Facts, an education initiative developed by the Health Sponsorship Council (HSC) in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, presents a number of stark facts about smoking. HSC's Manager Smokefree, Marija Vidovich, encourages smokefree workers throughout the country to undertake local promotion of the messages. For assistance to link locally to Face the Facts, contact Marija on 04 472 5777 or marija@hsc.org.nz. For more information on Face the Facts, see www.facethefacts.org.nz. Smoking affects lives photo exhibition
Public Health South health promotion advisor Mandy Murphy says the idea for the exhibition was inspired by a photo exhibition which had been held in Gisborne, focusing on the stories of smokers. "The initial goal of the Southland exhibition was to reignite the debate surrounding the banning of tobacco displays. However, the exhibition took on a life of its own and became a project to encourage smokers to give quitting a go." The exhibition told the stories of 20 smokers. Black and white photographs were used, accompanied by text about how smoking had affected the lives of the subjects. The exhibition has been extremely popular and has been used in offices, community houses, city council board rooms, community swimming pools, schools and even stadiums. The demand was such that two additional sets of photographs were printed and all are now on display. A brief case study on the development of the photo exhibition has been written. It outlines the processes followed by Mandy and the team, and some tips for other smokefree workers wishing to develop a similar exhibition. Smokers' attitudes to smokefree cars containing pre-schoolers
The data came from the wave 1 of the New Zealand arm of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Survey (NZ ITC Project). This wave involved surveying a national sample of 1376 New Zealand adult (18+ years) smokers in 2007-2008. We asked: 'Do you think smoking should be allowed in cars with pre-school children in them?' We found that smokers in all age-groups, both men and women, those in the four ethnic groups considered, and those in all small area deprivation quintiles, disagreed with the statement at a level of 92 percent. Of those smokers who reported suffering from two different types of smoking-related financial stress (those unable to pay any important bills on time due to a shortage of money, and those not spending on household essentials due to spending on smoking) over 92 percent also disagreed. The key finding is that New Zealand smokers from different socio-demographic groups appear to give very high support for not allowing smoking in cars carrying pre-school children. These results indicate there is strong support across a very wide range of smokers (and from the public) for active government intervention to protect New Zealand children from tobacco smoke pollution in cars. We need to consider why New Zealand is lagging behind eleven states and provinces in Australia, Canada and the USA, which have all passed laws to protect their children from smoking in cars.2 We suggest that smokefree car legislation is an appropriate use of the law, and would provide a strong signal on the priority of child protection from tobacco smoke.
____________________________ 1 Thomson G, Wilson N, Weerasekera D, et al. Ninety-six percent of New Zealand smokers support smokefree cars containing preschool children. N Z Med J. 2008;121:139-40. 2 Thomson G, Wilson N. Public attitudes to laws for smokefree private vehicles: A brief review. Tob Control. 2009;18:256–261(Online publication, December 2008), doi:10.1136/tc.2008.027672 (Abridged) The New Zealand Medical Journal 7 August 2009, Vol 122, No 1300. Northland Four Squares support quitters!
Robert Scott of Molesworth Four Square decided to remove tobacco products out of sight for a number of reasons. "I've seen lots of stores in Northland do this, and we realised that tobacco displays affect the kids that come in so we were happy to get them out of sight." Robert thinks a display ban will be law within two years anyway so why wait? "If tobacco displays affect our kids and people trying to quit, then let's get rid of them. So that's what we've done." Both Molesworth and Waipu store owners say there's been no negative feedback from the community and it hasn't affected business. "If people want tobacco products all they do is ask." Cancer Society Northland Health Promoter Jim Callaghan says that tobacco displays are an important marketing tool to entice new smokers. "They're giant billboards, every time you enter a dairy or service station. They make smoking look normal to our children and undermine efforts by people trying to quit smoking. "I applaud the stand these stores are taking." Let's blow the whistle on smokefree apathyIn less than 26 months, Aotearoa will host millions of people for the 2011 Rugby World Cup at many stadia around the country. The lack of provincial stadia with smokefree policies in place is a concern which needs to be addressed by our community. The New Zealand Rugby Football Union is a significant way down the path in its planning for the next World Cup. This highly significant and visible international event could provide an excellent backdrop for a nationally driven, locally coordinated smokefree stadia initiative. Like us here in Taranaki, there are many 'players on the ground' who have already made some progress with their local stadium. However, with a coordinated approach so much more could be achieved. Now is the time to pick up the ball and run with it! Kua taka te wero ki a koutou katoa! Tamara, Hinenui and Emma Project Co-ordinator/Research Officer wantedNurses for a Smokefree Aoteaora/New Zealand (NSFANZ) is looking for a project co-ordinator/research officer. This position will support nurses to deliver effective smoking cessation interventions to smokers. The project manager's job includes:
NZFANZ is based at AUT University in Auckland. We are looking for someone who has prior experience in project co-ordination. Work experience in health promotion, advocacy, campaign management, evaluation and research is also an advantage. It is expected that you will hold relevant health, education or social science qualifications, with a postgraduate degree highly regarded. For further information please contact Grace Wong, Director NSFANZ, on 09 921 9999 ext 7501. Through the smoke
In this instance, the image of a baby is used to help increase the number of women smokers. Images of infants and children also tended to send a reassuring message about the healthfulness of the product, and reinforced the respectability of smoking as a part of normal family life. See http://lane.stanford.edu/tobacco/index.html for more images.
SMOKEFREE SHORTS
New ZealandCigarette warnings take 'softer' tone
In March, seven new labels replaced the original bleeding lungs, gangrenous feet and other images designed to deter smoking. Smokers spoken to in central Wellington have noticed the change of pictures and feel they have a softer tone. "If they're supposed to be deterring us from smoking they're doing a piss-poor job of it," said Newtown resident Regan Bamfield, 20, a student who has been smoking for six years. The Wellingtonian, 6 August 2009 Minister signals tobacco display ban Anti-smoking groups are hoping news that legislation to ban tobacco displays is nearing after comments made by Health Minister Tony Ryall. Mr Ryall said tobacco was not his area in health to comment on, but "people should wait and see about banning smoking displays in shops, as there is good news coming from the Associate Health Minister." NZ Doctor, 12 August 2009 Tobacco display ban criticised The black market cigarette and tobacco trade could flourish if a law banning retailers from displaying tobacco products was introduced, the NZ Association of Convenience Stores says. Association Chairman Roger Bull said new research from Britain showed three quarters of retailers were concerned that a display ban would displace tobacco sales to the black market. New Zealand Herald, 13 August 2009 No link between display ban and smuggling – ASH Claims that banning retail tobacco displays would bolster the black market are misleading, the anti-smoking group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) says. ASH director Ben Youdan said the New Zealand Association of Convenience Stores (NZACS) had distorted the facts by drawing a link between tobacco display bans and black market sales. Mr Youdan said there is no link between banning retail displays and an increase in illicit tobacco trade. "The claims were based on tobacco industry-funded research which related to Britain, where black market trade was much more prevalent," he said. Yahoo, 13 August 2009 InternationalSmoking-in-films rating debated
The city council has put the idea out to public consultation after receiving an application from the local primary care trust (PCT) in June. Films with images of smoking would only be suitable for adult viewing. About 5300 under-18-year-olds smoke in Liverpool, half of whom were influenced by films, the PCT has claimed. BBC, 10 August 2009 Tobacco sales fall 19.3 percent In the first quarter of 2009, global duty free and travel retail tobacco sales slumped by -19.3% compared with the same quarter in 2008 – according to the TREND Tobacco Index which is based on actual audits of retail sales among a panel of locations worldwide. "This is probably the worst quarter ever recorded for the tobacco business which has been battered in travel retail and elsewhere", says Yngve Bia, President of Generation Research. TREND, 11 August 2009 E-cigarettes creating buzz despite risks "Want to quit smoking? Try electronic cigarettes – the odourless, cancer-free, and healthy way to smoke!" The sheer novelty of this claim is probably what attracted smokers and non-smokers alike to electronic cigarettes or "e-cigarettes," a product that has created a lot of buzz in the Philippine market in the past month. It is typically marketed as a "safer way" to smoke or quit smoking. ABS-CBN News, 7 August 2009 Japan slowly kicks smoking habit
The three Japanese are waging a minnow versus whale battle against big tobacco in one of the world's most smoker-friendly countries. But precedent suggests they're likely to lose, and they hope their suit will at least draw attention to the dangers of smoking. Even if they win, they're unlikely to dent the finances of Japan Tobacco Inc, a former monopoly still half-owned by the government. The three are asking for a total of $NZ471,000 from a company with $NZ6.8 trillion a year in sales. New Zealand Herald, 5 August 2009 Saucy smoking ad banned Standards watchdogs have banned a saucy advert which appeared in UK adult magazine Viz over claims it glamorises smoking. A page in the adult comic showed a scantily-clad woman with cigarette rolling papers appearing to float out of her handbag. Journal Live, 14 August 2009 Teacher forces student to smoke 42 cigarettes Reports that a Malaysian teacher forced a student to smoke as punishment after a cigarette and lighter were found in his locker have been confirmed as true. The New Straits Times Daily quoted the teen as saying he was made to smoke 42 cigarettes – four at a time for more than two hours. The punishment was witnessed by other teachers and students. New Zealand Herald, 18 August 2009 Smoking is a curable disease, experts say
Because people think smoking is just bad habit, few smokers turn to doctors for assistance, said Wang Chen, president-elect of the Chinese Thoracic Society who also heads China's first smoking cessation clinic at the Chaoyang Hospital. Wang's clinic, opened in 1996, receives four to five patients each day. In contrast, other doctors at the hospital handle more than 50 patients daily. China Daily, 18 August 2009 QUOTABLE QUOTES"When I showed someone a pack of cigarettes with the phallic-like impotent cigarette on it, everyone just laughed instantaneously and forgot about it. I can't see how that's effective in terms of stopping people from smoking." 22-year old smoker Caleb Bottomley, commenting on the new cigarette package images. "People have become desensitised to gore, but seeing a baby staring at you through a respirator mask makes you think." 21-year old smoker Willem Bester, commenting on the new cigarette package images. |
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Belinda Keenan
You may remember Adrian Pilkington, who bravely shared his struggle with smoking-related illness in the last months of his life in a series of television advertisements for The Quit Group.
New
Quit Group Chief Executive Paula Snowden took over from Helen Glasgow on 10 August,
and says she's ready to take up the fight against tobacco in New Zealand.
Two new Face the Facts messages will begin to screen from 23 August. They are:
Smokefree workers in Southland recently put together a photo exhibition entitled Smoking Affects Lives.
In 2008 we published the overall support by New Zealand smokers for smokefree cars containing pre-school children (96
percent).1 To provide further detail on the support by different groups, we examined the support by age-groups, gender, ethnicity, level of socio-economic deprivation and level of financial stress.
The Molesworth Four Square
store at Mangawhai Heads and the Waipu Four Square store were acknowledged by Cancer Society Northland this month for taking tobacco products off the shelves. They have joined the growing number of Northland businesses moving tobacco products under the counter.
The Stanford School of Medicine website has an exhibit that tells the story of how, between the late 1920s and the early 1950s, tobacco companies used deceptive and often patently false claims in an effort to reassure the public of the safety of their products.
Where
possible, links are provided below the stories. Please click these to read
the story in full.
Smokers say the new picture warnings on cigarette packets are less shocking – to the point where some find them humorous.
People in Liverpool, England, are being asked to give their opinion over plans to give films featuring people who smoke an automatic 18 rating.
One plaintiff is a cancer patient. Another is represented by his widow. The third has emphysema and rolls into the courtroom on a wheelchair with tubes trailing out of his nose.
Most of China's more than 350 million smokers have no idea that tobacco addiction is a disease requiring medical treatment to quit, medical experts said.