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| Issue 127 | 14 October 2009 |
Having trouble viewing this newsletter? Try the online version. From the Director
My induction continues... The learning curve became exponential when I attended the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference in Darwin last week. What a way to accelerate my induction into this community! I made a lot of new friends and came away BUZZING with programme evaluations, research ideas and endgame planning. The highlight of the conference was Shane Kawanata Bradbrook winning the Nigel Gray Award for his contribution in Oceania Tobacco Control. Congratulations, Shane! This award paid homage to the alliance Shane has played a big part in building between the Māori and Aboriginal tobacco resistance movements. This alliance was sealed in tears at the advocacy roundtable, and a resolution that it be nurtured by the Conference was accepted unanimously as an outcome. Isn't it interesting that international recognition and celebration of the critical role Māori play in a global indigenous tobacco control network comes just when, in New Zealand itself, funds are taken away from Te Reo Marama? The unofficial word from the Ministry of Health is that no funds will be allocated for any Māori advocacy body. The silver lining of course is that funds the Ministry do offer Māori will be focused on cessation programmes that target their communities. However, there seemed no doubt amongst Māori conference attendees I spoke to that Te Reo Marama would continue to exist despite not having a Ministry contract. There's a lot the Smokefree Coalition can do to help while Te Reo Marama finds its feet without that funding secured. As I meet my Coalition partners, I'll be making sure the question of what the Coalition is doing to target Māori smokers and their whānau is prioritised. And when it comes to advocacy, it's only right that the Coalition throws its support behind the Māori Party's efforts to push up taxes on tobacco products. Click here to send Hon Minister Tariana Turia your support. For those of you who would like a brief report on the key messages I brought home with me from the conference, please click here for a downloadable file (PDF 56Kb). Take care, Prudence Stone, Director, IN THIS ISSUE:
e-Petition to ban smoking along Wellington's Golden Mile
This petition proposes to ban smoking along the streets making up the city's Golden Mile – Lambton Quay, Willis Street, Manners Street/Manners Mall and Courtenay Place. It was created by a member of the public using the ePetition service on the Wellington City Council website. The stated aim of the petition is to make the Golden Mile more attractive to city workers, visitors/tourists so they don't have to negotiate second-hand smoke from smokers walking in front of them or sitting outside cafes etc. You can sign the petition online and only your name and city location are retained when you do. Submissions invited on inquiry into tobacco industryLet's make a difference! Public submissions are now being invited on the inquiry into the tobacco industry in Aotearoa and the consequences of tobacco use for Māori. The purpose of the inquiry is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the actions of the tobacco industry in promoting tobacco use amongst Māori, the impact of tobacco use on the health of the Māori population, and the wider economic, social, cultural and developmental impacts that arise from such health effects and tobacco use more generally. As part of the inquiry, the committee intends to consider policy and legislative measures to address the findings. The terms of reference are to inquire into:
The committee requires two copies of each submission if made in writing. Those wishing to include any information of a private or personal nature in a submission should first discuss this with the clerk of the committee, as submissions are usually released to the public by the committee. Those wishing to appear before the committee to speak to their submissions should state this clearly and provide a daytime telephone contact number. To assist with administration please supply your postcode and an email address if you have one. You can make your submission online. Further guidance on making a submission can be found from the Making a Submission to a Parliamentary Select Committee link in the 'Related documents' panel at the link above. The closing date for submissions is Friday, 29 January 2010. Smokefree Coalition AGM announcementThe Annual General Meeting of the Smokefree Coalition (SFC) is to be held at 3pm on 28 October at the headquarters of ASH NZ (19 Mauranui Ave, Epsom Auckland) following the SFC Board meeting. An afternoon snack will be provided. All members and stakeholders of the SFC are invited to send representatives to the AGM. Please RSVP or for further details, contact Prudence Stone at director@sfc.org.nz or by phone on 04 472 0157. Tobacco smoking: Why start?
Once ingrained, smoking is a notoriously difficult habit to kick. To explore factors that might lead young people to start smoking Jennifer O'Loughlin and colleagues, in a recent paper in the American Journal of Epidemiology, prospectively studied variables associated with first smoking experiences in 877 Quebecois seventh-grade students, followed up for five years. Not surprisingly, in self-reported questionnaires, the students cited cigarette advertisements as a factor in smoking initiation. Smoking by parents, siblings, and especially friends was associated with a higher risk not only of starting smoking but also of developing a daily habit. Starting smoking was also associated with stress or a lack of self-confidence, manifest as worries about weight or school performance. That legal and cultural boundaries were found to be so permissive to young people starting smoking is disappointing, albeit in a single setting. Also striking, though unsurprising, is that friends and other factors provided such motivation and encouragement. Studies are clearly needed to test the ability of suitable interventions – whether education programmes, social networking, or psychological therapies – to reduce initiation of smoking, preferably employing randomisation and biochemical validation. In reality, smoking tobacco is not an indicator of maturity, glamour, confidence, or anything else that is even remotely appealing, and all must work to ensure that young people who are at risk of starting smoking receive persuasive and timely advice to desist. The Lancet, 26 September 2009 Fags and Fat: The synergies between tobacco control and obesity prevention – invitation to register7 December 2009: 9.00 – 2.15 Speakers include: Prof Robert Beaglehole, Prof Boyd Swinburn, Prof Janet Hoek and Jane Martin (Obesity Prevention Coalition – Victoria, Australia) Topics covered:
There will be no charge for attending this seminar, but you must register no later than 20 November 2009. Numbers will be limited to 70 participants. Please send your registration form to kim@ana.org.nz. Presented by the Obesity Action Coalition, The Cancer Society, Fight the Obesity Epidemic, The Health Promotion and Policy Research Unit – Otago University and Quigley and Watts. Recent papers of interestA paper has just been published by Natalie Walker and Chris Bullen of the Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, and Hayden McRobbie of The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, regarding the theory behind the use of reduced nicotine cigarettes in smoking cessation. Click here to download the paper (PDF 83Kb). And here are two poster presentations from the recent Oceania Tobacco Control Conference.
SMOKEFREE SHORTS
New ZealandNew Zealander wins tobacco fighting award
Mr Bradbrook, who is currently head of the New Zealand Māori Smokefree Coalition, received the award for his work on behalf of Māori and indigenous people. "I remain passionately defiant when it comes to the tobacco industry and its continued unethical presence within our communities," he said. Voxy, 10 October 2009 Tobacco claim denied A major tobacco company has rejected claims it is undermining the law by not following rules on the use of graphic warnings on cigarette packets. Otago University researchers said a study of bought and discarded cigarette packs showed regulations were not being met. British American Tobacco said its warnings "meet all legal requirements". Daily Post (Rotorua), 29 September 2009 A righteous war on evil weed: editorial Four hundred years ago this year, John Rolfe, an enterprising 24-year-old from Norfolk, arrived in the fledgling settlement of Jamestown in the English colony of Virginia. A canny businessman despite his tender years, he saw a chance to make a few bob on an old plant, genus Nicotiana, widely referred to at the time as "brown gold". New Zealand Herald, 27 September 2009 New campaign hopes to eliminate cot death A new campaign against cot death is being launched. The campaign features a set of education materials make it clear it is essential for every baby to be "face-up, face clear and smokefree" in order to be safe when they sleep, Ministry of Health chief advisor for child and youth health Pat Tuohy said. Otago Daily Times, 12 October 2009 InternationalQuebec Tories back away from changes to flavoured-tobacco bill
The Quebec wing of the Conservative caucus had pulled for amendments that would ban some flavours and additives in cigars and cigarettes but not others. But Leona Aglukkaq tugged back harder. "I met with the Quebec caucus and they're in support of the legislation as is," she said. Bill C-32, also known as the Cracking Down on Tobacco Marketing Aimed at Youth Act, would ban all flavours and additives in tobacco products except for menthol. The Canadian Press, 30 September 2009 Philip Morris turns health protection into wealth protection: editorial Until last week, all cigarette flavours were equal, then new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations made one flavour more equal than all the others. Because of a loophole written into the law, the FDA banned all flavoured cigarettes except menthol. The only flavour sold by Philip Morris, the FDA's industry ally in passing legislation to allow the ban, just happens to be menthol. The Washington Times, 30 September 2009 NHS: Smoking ban made no difference Banning smoking in public places in England has made no difference to the number of people who smoke, according to an NHS report. The damning publication from the NHS Information Centre states there was "no significant difference" in the number of people who smoked before and after the law changed in 2007. London Evening Standard, 30 September 2009 Kazakhstan bans public smoking, raises drinking age
"We are now following the recommendations of the World Health Organization, according to whose data more than 30,000 people die every year in Kazakhstan from smoking," health ministry spokeswoman Agmagul Abenova said. The new regulations, published in Kazakh newspapers, came into effect on 9 October. Yahoo! News, 29 September 2009 Roll-up cigarettes' popularity on the rise with women, report reveals More than one in four adult smokers now use pouch tobacco and roll-up cigarettes, with a particularly sharp rise in the proportion of women users, research shows. Analysis of smoking habits in England suggests a cultural shift in the use of tobacco, with one in five white-collar professionals who smoke now using roll-ups rather than conventional cigarettes. Times Online, 30 September 2009 Philip Morris sues Irish government on tobacco ban Tobacco giant Philip Morris International is to launch a legal action against the Irish government over its ban on the display of cigarettes in shops. The owner of leading brands including Marlboro and Chesterfield believes the rule is anti-competitive. The group may also sue the UK if the government goes ahead with a plan to introduce a similar clampdown. Times Online, 4 October 2009 Horrendous graphics softened by high-tech printing
Some 10-20 percent more expensive flip-top packs continue to penetrate the market in some areas as they are thought to be of a better quality compared to the cheap-looking soft packs. Best in Packaging, 18 September 2009 Finland to ban smoking in cars carrying children The Finnish government has unveiled a bill to ban smoking in cars carrying children as well as in places frequented by children. The government proposed a number of amendments in the Act on Measures to Restrict Tobacco Smoking, including penalties for selling or giving tobacco to children and a ban on the import and possession of tobacco by children. Helsinki Times, 1 October 2009 Economy $1b better off by cutting smoking rate by a third Researchers have found the benefits of cutting Australia's smoking rate would be much broader than previously thought. The study was commissioned by VicHealth, and looked at how cutting tobacco usage would benefit individuals, industry and governments. ABC News, 8 October 2009 Pregnant smoking – psychosis link
A UK survey of 12-year-olds found those whose mothers had smoked were 20 percent more likely to suffer such problems. The link was 84 percent more pronounced if 20 or more cigarettes a day were smoked. BBC News, 30 September 2009 Indigenous smoking 'key' to health gap A high smoking rate within indigenous communities is adding to the life-expectancy gap between black and white Australia, the Australian Heart Foundation says. It has unveiled a plan to turn the situation around, including a call for specialist tobacco workers to be sent into communities. The West, 6 October 2009 Facebook tobacco probe ordered Australian Health Minister Nicola Roxon says her department is investigating reports big tobacco companies are using social networking sites like Facebook to hook young people onto cigarettes. University of Sydney PHD student Becky Freeman told a conference in Darwin the tobacco industry is abusing the internet because the web does not have the same advertising controls as print and television. ABC News, 7 October 2009 WHO's Western Pacific region agrees tobacco-control plan To the surprise and delight of tobacco-control campaigners, a plan to operationalise the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was passed with barely a murmur of dissent at the WHO's Western Pacific regional meeting held in Hong Kong last month. Although representatives of three of the world's biggest tobacco producers – China, the USA, and Japan – were present when the plan came up for discussion, only China voiced any misgivings. The Lancet, 10 October 2009 QUOTABLE QUOTES"The State of California's Air Resources Board that regulates California's outdoor air did a massive report in 2006 which resulted in second-hand smoke being declared a 'toxic air contaminant'." Slate, 17 September 2009 "Deborah Arnott is a professional anti-smoker... She thinks she can 'save lives'. Since we all get a lifetime and she is not offering immortality, what she means is you might have a longer life. Given the choice of 50 years as a free person or 70 years as a slave, she would choose slavery. I wouldn't, and I suspect there are many like me, as most people seem to go for quality of life not quantity." David Hockney, "The anti-smoking bigots should butt out", Coalition Comment: Can anyone else see the irony in arguing that dying at 50 is part of having a quality life, and that dying from an addiction is somehow not slavery? |
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Tobacco smoking is a sad testament to humankind's propensity to self-harm. It has been known for many years that all who partake for long periods will seriously damage their cardiovascular system, not to mention greatly increasing their risk of developing lung cancer. Worldwide, 5 million deaths result each year, concentrated in underprivileged populations. Nicotine is not the only potent addictive agent at work – as new generations of smokers in the developing world are ensnared, businesses and governments will trouser enormous sums in profits and taxes, and by 2025 tobacco's grim and gratuitous toll is forecast to have escalated to 10 million lives lost annually.
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the story in full.
New Zealand anti-smoking campaigner Shane Bradbrook has won an international award for his contributions to tobacco control. Mr Bradbrook was awarded the Nigel Gray Award at the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference in Darwin today.
Canada's
rookie health minister appears to have won a political tug-of-war with her
Quebec colleagues over contentious changes to flavoured-tobacco controls.
Kazakhstan's government said it would impose a total ban on smoking in public places and raise the drinking age to 21, a rare step in the hard-drinking, heavy-smoking former Soviet Union.
The overall decrease in smokers poses a challenge to packaging manufacturers which supply tobacco companies, as opportunities for growth dwindle and competition for remaining customers grows fierce. Some bright spots for the tobacco packaging industry are left: Eastern Europe, Russia and China. These regions, due to a lack of regulation or public sentiment against smoking, have seen an increase in tobacco use.
Mothers who smoke during pregnancy put their children at greater risk of psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations, a study suggests.