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| Issue 152 | 1 September 2010 |
Having trouble viewing this newsletter? Try the online version. From the Director
One ideal outcome will be that this Act is once again expanded and strengthened to include more of our environments, particularly those where there are children. Once the Act is opened for amendment, a whole raft of possibilities for ensuring the protection from exposure to tobacco can be frameworked. To ensure our children cannot buy tobacco from retailers that flout the law, it could be amended to introduce vendor licensing, with zero tolerance for non-compliance; to empower children to speak up for their own rights for clean air, it could be amended to prohibit smoking in cars with passengers; to remove barriers for tertiary institutions to enforce smokefree policies on campus, it could be amended to make all educational zones throughout New Zealand tobacco free. It could be amended to do the same for local governments, removing the barriers for our local leaders to enforce the clean air rights of every citizen. But amending the Smoke-free Environments Act is only one ideal outcome of the Māori Affairs Select Committee inquiry. Now in 2010, twenty years since this Act's first instatement, there is need for new legislation that will ensure the reduction of supply and demand around tobacco in New Zealand. It is one thing to protect ourselves from exposure to tobacco smoke, it is another entirely to protect future generations from exposure to tobacco products and their marketing. Our collective submissions have made it clear to the Māori Affairs Select Committee that they must recommend legislation that strategically reduces the supply and sale of tobacco products in accordance. We also need measures to strategically reduce smokers' prevalence rates and the uptake of smoking by youth. Let us then hope the government responds appropriately to those recommendations. We look forward to a "Freedom from Tobacco by 2020 Act". Twenty years from now, in 2030, we won't have forgotten this Māori Affairs Select Committee inquiry and what it did for our children and grandchildren. Take care, Prudence Stone, Director, IN THIS ISSUE:
Dramatic slump in cigarette sales
"It's extraordinary," Public Health Physician Dr Murray Laugesen said yesterday, commenting on supermarket sales figures supplied to him by research company ACNielsen. Based on earlier tax increases, a tobacco price rise of 10 percent would have been expected to reduce sales by 5 percent. In April, the government increased the excise tax on factory-made cigarettes by 10 percent and on loose tobacco by 25 percent. The tax on both types will rise by a further 10 percent next year, and by the same percentage again in 2012. Dr Laugesen said that since the April tax rises, average weekly sales of factory-made cigarettes at supermarkets had gone down by nearly 14 percent – notably more than the price increase of 10 percent. Sales of loose roll-your-own tobacco dropped by nearly 18 percent, which was less than the price increase of 21 percent. He said it appeared some smokers might have switched to rolling their own cigarettes, which were cheaper – despite the greater tax increase for loose tobacco – because they were usually thinner than factory-made smokes. New Zealand Herald, 30 August 2010 Higher prices mean less smoking, less tobacco production/importationNew Zealanders are smoking 1.3 billion fewer cigarettes a year than ten years ago, according to data produced by Statistics New Zealand for the Smokefree Coalition. In the last quarter, since tobacco's tax rise, New Zealanders consumed 280 million manufactured tobacco products, and 243 tonnes of loose tobacco. Smokefree Coalition Director Dr Prudence Stone said last year's fourth quarter result was 757 million or so cigarettes, while this fourth quarter it was 405.5 million. "That's 351.5 million fewer cigarettes consumed than the same quarter last year." Dr Stone believes the drop in consumption resulting from April's excise tax increase, has also led to significant drops in production and imports for domestic consumption. "Consumption looked to be slowly climbing at the end of 2009's financial year with production and imports reaching $3.4 billion (up from $2.8 billion in 2008). The tax increase has nipped that frightening trend in the bud. "That the last significant drop in production levels occurred in 2000 when tobacco's excise tax was also increased significantly, by 20 percent, shows how effective price is as a tobacco control measure." Dr Stone says she's confident the next tobacco tax increases scheduled for January 2011 and 2012 will force similar drops in tobacco production and imports over the next two years. Smokefree Coalition Media release, 30 August 2010 Is Government doing enough to help Pacific peoples become tobacco free?It's time for "By Pacific, for Pacific' say Salote Austin and George Thomson of the University of Otago, Wellington The current Inquiry by the Māori Affairs Select Committee has served to highlight the problem of smoking, not only for Māori, but for all New Zealanders, including Pacific peoples. Networks of Pacific health workers have brought the Pacific experience with smoking to the Select Committee, detailing the issues associated with smoking that similarly face Pacific peoples. One of the main questions they raise has been: what is the government doing to reduce health inequalities resulting from smoking? A recent study carried out by the University of Otago, Policy-making for Smoking Around Children, found Pacific health policymakers calling for ways to reduce smoking, and thereby reduce the high incidence of smoking-related illnesses among Pacific peoples. With the current smoking prevalence for Pacific peoples at over 30 percent, and a population growth projection of 59 percent (based on 2001 census figures) by 2021, it comes as no surprise that Pacific policymakers are asking for urgent action to combat the problem of smoking for Pacific peoples. We found some Pacific policy-makers looking for a complete ban on the sale of tobacco. All the Pacific policy-makers we interviewed were urging greater government action. This included controlling access to, and visibility of, cigarettes in tobacco selling outlets. They also called for greater subsidies for those trying to quit smoking, as well as greater protection for children from exposure to tobacco. New look Quitchat
In it you can find out about the momentous increase in calls to the Quitline that followed the tobacco tax increase in April. We also explore the debate around e-cigarettes and share with you stories of people quitting smoking with support from our blog community. There's a lot of us working together to help New Zealanders quit smoking – this newsletter aims to give us somewhere to celebrate the successes and discuss the problems, as we work towards the vision of a tobacco-free Aotearoa. It's a fact
HSC has developed a range of tobacco control fact sheets reporting findings from the 2008 Health and Lifestyles Survey. The In the Know sheets cover general findings while In Fact sheets include brief details about research methodology. Check them out at www.hsc.org.nz/researchpublications.html. While you are on the HSC website, take a look at In the Loop, which shares learnings about HSC's use of viral games to spread anti-tobacco messages to youth: www.hsc.org.nz/publications.html. Email Rose Trappit at HSC for more information. Tobacco Control's new blog
To inaugurate the new blog, it is having a competition to win a one-year subscription to Tobacco Control. The quest is to identify innovations in the way we talk about tobacco control that more accurately reflect its mission. For example, perhaps we should be saying 'quitting' or 'becoming tobacco-free' instead of 'giving up', which implies loss. Submit your suggestions today! The editors will pick their favourite submissions and the readers will vote for the winner. Finland adopts new tobacco act to completely ban smoking
The purpose of a new tobacco act is to prevent in particular children and youngsters from smoking. The new act restricts selling and supplying tobacco especially to anyone under 18-years-old. Neither shops nor private persons are allowed to sell or provide tobacco products to persons under 18. According to the act, a person who sells single cigarettes or buys a packet of cigarettes for a minor may be fined or sentenced to prison for a maximum of 6 months. It is also forbidden to supply tobacco to minors for free. According to the new act, persons under 18-years-old may not import and possess tobacco products. In addition, sellers of tobacco products must be aged at least 18 years. The new act also prohibits tobacco products and their trademarks being displayed in retail stores in the future. In addition, the sale of tobacco products from vending machines will be banned. The total ban on the sale of snuff in Finland will continue. Ordering snuff through the Internet will also be forbidden. The bans on smoking will also be extended in places used by children and youngsters, the public venues of residential areas, outdoor public places and hotel rooms. The new act comes into effect from 1 October this year. The ban on display of tobacco products and their trademarks, as well as the restrictions on smoking in hotel rooms, becomes effective at the beginning of 2012. Sale of tobacco products in vending machines will be prohibited from the beginning of 2015. Xinhua News, 20 August 2010 Tobacco-free Aotearoa Conference in November
If you are working in cessation, research, health promotion, policy or other areas of tobacco control – this is the place to be! An inspiring series of keynote sessions, workshops and presentations will offer delegates the chance improve their knowledge, skills and networks. The call for abstracts is now open, and abstracts should be submitted for consideration no later than 20 August. Early-bird registration closes 30 September. For more details see: www.smokefree.org.nz/conference2010. APACT 2010 conference
The Asia Pacific Association for the Control of Tobacco invites you to register for APACT 2010 in Sydney this October. APACT 2010 is being held from 6-9 October 2010 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, NSW, Australia. For more than 20 years APACT has been a crossroads for those in the Asia Pacific region working to reduce the burden of tobacco caused disease. It is the premier tobacco control conference for the Asia Pacific region and the focus this year is on FCTC in the Asia Pacific: Change, Challenge and Progress. APACT 2010 aims to encourage tobacco control and public health advocates, researchers, practitioners, policy makers and especially youth leaders to share experiences and discuss strategies for implementation of the FCTC and for dealing with the tobacco industry. Click here to register or find out more. Male partner role in smoking cessation during pregnancyPresented by Jeffrey Gage, PhD The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical explanation of the process of becoming a father and how this impacted on men’s smoking behaviours during their partner’s pregnancy. Grounded theory is used to explain data from interviews with 23 men from rural Midwest, U.S.A. The transition to fatherhood prompted participants to protect their families from cigarette smoke; however men’s smoking goals and behaviours became increasingly focused on harm minimisation, rather than quitting during their partner’s pregnancy. Findings provide new insights for nursing practice to promote smoking cessation for expectant mothers and fathers during pregnancy. When: Wednesday 1 September 2010 TUHANZ workshop: Applying the Treaty to our practice
This workshop will focus on using the TUHANZ framework to assist health workers to apply Treaty-based thinking and planning to their practice. The workshop is a practical, hands-on course, which explains how the articles of the Treaty can be applied to health planning. Participants will be expected to determine and define Treaty-based practice in line with their contracts and responsibilities. By the end of this workshop, participants should be have a clear understanding of Treaty articles and how they apply to health services, and a workable understanding of TUHANZ as a framework from which to plan Treaty based practice. Participants are advised that the workshop will be reasonably demanding and fast paced so they should come prepared to work! Also, essential to the success and enjoyment of the day is a good sense of humour and an ability to share very good jokes that are appropriate and funny! Cost: Non Member - $135.00 (GST included) Find out more and download a registration form. Recent researchClick the links below each piece for more information. What is behind smoker support for new smokefree areas?N Wilson, D Weerasekera, T Blakely, R Edwards, G Thomson and H Gifford Some countries have started to extend indoor smokefree laws to cover cars and various outdoor settings. However, policy-modifiable factors around smoker support for these new laws are not well described. The New Zealand arm of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Survey sampled 1376 adult smokers. www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/10/498/abstract Long-term benefit of increasing the prominence of a quitline number on cigarette packaging: 3 years of Quitline call dataN Wilson, J Li, J Hoek, R Edwards, J Peace In 2008 the law required tobacco packaging in New Zealand to include pictorial health warnings (PHWs) and the national Quitline number. Previously, text-only health warnings provided a telephone number, but did not explicitly link this to the "Quitline". Research indicated that New Zealand smokers became more aware of the Quitline number on packs since PHWs were introduced, and there was an immediate increase in the proportion of new callers who registered with the Quitline following the introduction of PHWs. www.sfc.org.nz/documents/LongtermbenefitQuitlineNZMJ.pdf Asian smokefree communities: Evaluation of a community-focused smoking cessation and smokefree environments intervention in New ZealandG Wong, R Whittaker, J Chen, L Cowling, J van Mil, S Lim Asian Smokefree Communities pilot-tested a novel Asian-specific service model to address these issues for Asian smokers. Korean- and Chinese-speaking coordinators delivered home-, workplace- or clinic-based interventions to support smokers with cessation and create smokefree environments with families. http://www.atypon-link.com/AAP/doi/abs/10.1375/jsc.5.1.22 A social contextual analysis of youth cigarette smoking developmentThis study applies a social contextual perspective based on Bronfenbrenner's ecology of human development theory to understanding development of youth cigarette smoking. It examines the contributions of family, peer, school, and neighbourhood contexts. Context attributes examined were derived from social learning and social control theories. http://ntr.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/ntq122 When you're pregnant, every cigarette is doing your baby damageThis review focuses on current knowledge of the potential effects of smoke toxicants on all reproductive stages and the consequences of smoke exposure on reproductive functions. http://humupd.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/dmq033v1 SMOKEFREE SHORTS
New ZealandThird of ED patients smokers – study
The study, by Emergency Registrar Abigail Lynch and Emergency Physician Paul Quigley, looked at over 500 patients at Wellington Hospital's Emergency Department over six days in August last year. It found 33.1 percent of patients seeking treatment were smokers, compared with 20.7 percent of the New Zealand population. Dr Lynch said 74.9 percent of the smokers surveyed said they wanted to quit. Of those, 76.3 percent took a quit pack and showed an interest in receiving quitting advice. Yahoo, 23 August 2010 Tobacco firms' use of YouTube probed The tobacco industry may be using websites such as YouTube to get around a ban on advertising cigarettes, a study says. Researchers in New Zealand studied the video-sharing site and found a number of pro-tobacco videos "consistent with indirect marketing activity by tobacco companies or their proxies". BBC News, 26 August 2010 Ryall: Targets results show big health improvements
"The release of the Health Targets shows tremendous improvement in the key areas over the past 12 months. League tables will be published in major newspapers tomorrow and in many provincial and community papers over the next few days." Health target highlights include significant gains over the past year in DHB staff providing smoking cessation support to hospital patients who smoke. Voxy, 26 August 2010 InternationalTobacco companies are in a losing battle, say Nigerian government lawyers The resolve of the Nigeran government to seek legal redress against tobacco companies, for targeting children and underage smokers and overburdening the health system, continues with a suit that is still in its preliminary stage after two years. While the government has demanded compensation of £22 billion for expenses on tobacco-related diseases, concerned companies have maintained that the figure is unjustifiable and other allegations are unproven. Nigerian National Tobacco Control, 16 August 2010 Uganda's forest cover fast dying out as tobacco industry booms Uganda's tobacco industry is spawning an environmental disaster, as farmers turn to fruit trees for wood fuel to cure the tobacco leaves. Driving through tobacco growing areas, outside the Murchison Falls National Park one barely encounters natural forests. The East African, 16 August 2010 Smokers occupy one-third of hospital beds A study commissioned by the Quebec Coalition for Tobacco Control suggests that smokers are taking up beds and costing the Quebec healthcare system millions a year. Researchers found that those who smoke, or used to smoke heavily, occupy 32.6 percent of hospital beds in the province. The report concludes that caring for smokers in hospital costs Quebec's healthcare system $930 million a year. CBC News, 16 August 2010 Doctors condemn tobacco industry attempts to overturn legislation
They are calling on Welsh MPs to help protect the young by ensuring the legislation goes ahead. Regulations following the Health Act 2009 will remove displays of tobacco in shops and also prohibit the sale of tobacco from vending machines. Doctors believe the regulations are vital and will help put an end to the loopholes that allow tobacco to be advertised to children. Dentistry.Co.Uk, 17 August 2010 South Africa: Laws hit smokers hard Stringent smoking laws, combined with the increasing cost of cigarettes, are discouraging South Africans from smoking, with a significant number of smokers considering quitting, a nationwide smoking survey has found. IOL, 16 August 2010 Smoking ban in cars carrying children backed by majority of public Three-quarters of Britons want smoking in cars carrying children to be banned, according to a poll. Many doctors already support such a ban. Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, caused controversy when he said that parents who smoked in front of their young children were "committing a form of child abuse". The Guardian, 18 August 2010 Egypt steps up effort to snuff out smoking
"It used to be at work or with friends, you would pull out your pack and pass them around," the 32-year-old fire-alarm technician says. But in the past few weeks, he has cut back from two packs a day of his favourite L&M brand to just one. "Now all 20 cigarettes are for me." Long one of the most tobacco-friendly countries in the world, Egypt has launched an ambitious, multipronged antismoking campaign. It combines drastic new taxes with plans to ban all indoor smoking, in phases, in Egypt's big cities. The Wall Street Journal, 17 August 2010 How second-hand cigarette smoke changes your genes As if the growing number of smoking bans in restaurants, airplanes and other public places isn't sending a strong enough message, researchers now have the first biological data confirming the health hazards of second-hand smoke. Scientists led by Dr. Ronald Crystal at Weill Cornell Medical College documented changes in genetic activity among non-smokers triggered by exposure to second-hand cigarette smoke. Time, 20 August 2010 Kids' films full of smoking Public health experts in Australia have demanded film classification rules be tightened after it was revealed more than half the top-grossing movies for young people contain smoking. Many children's films normalised and even glamorised smoking, the President of the Australian Public Health Association Mike Daube said. Sydney Morning Herald, 23 August 2010 Even casual smokers at risk, study reports Casual smokers may think a few puffs a week are nothing to worry about, but new research in the U.S. claims having even an infrequent cigarette, or being exposed to second-hand smoke, could be doing more harm than people believe. The Vancouver Sun, 20 August 2010 Fund manager finds plenty of virtue in sin stocks
Jeff Middleswart's aptly named Vice Fund is beating the house in a down market. The Standard & Poor's 500 index is down 3.5 percent this year. Yet stocks of cigarette makers are up an average 12 percent. The Vice Fund's three biggest holdings are cigarette stocks: Philip Morris International Inc, Lorillard Inc. and Altria Group Inc. That explains why the fund is up 3.2 percent this year, ranking in the top 3 percent of its large-blend fund peers. Associated Press, 20 August 2010 Nicotine, not just smoking, linked to breast cancer Smoking and tobacco use has long been associated with the development of cancerous tumours, particularly in the lung, mouth, and oesophagus, but the nicotine contained within has now been implicated as one of the chemicals that can trigger the development of breast cancer. Emax Health, 25 August 2010 Giving up smoking gives sex lives a lift, study finds A University of Hong Kong study found 53.8 percent of smokers being treated for impotence said that their problems eased within six months of stubbing out their nicotine habits. That figure compared to just 28.1 percent of men treated for erectile dysfunction who continued smoking, meaning quitters have a 91.5 percent greater chance of a better sex life. Si Fy News, 23 August 2010 New Philip Morris documents More than 43,000 Philip Morris documents have been added to the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library. A number of the documents are from the last few years (2005-2009). Legacy Tobacco Documents Library, 19 August 2010 Rush Limbaugh touts benefits of e-cigarettes, slams FDA
After being spotted recently on his ditto-cam apparently smoking, Rush responded last week to his listeners that he was in fact using a Volcano e-cigarette, not smoking a tobacco cigarette. On today's show, he said that the 25 August 25 Wall Street Journal article was an example of how he is on the cutting edge, and how his mention of a new technology immediately brings all sorts of attention to it. PR Web, 25 August 2010 Baby's nappy reveals mum's smoking habits Scientists have found that the first stools that a baby passes after being born can actually be used to determine how much their mother smoked, or if she was exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy. Si Fy News, 27 August 2010 Prepare now for new smoking bans: AMA The Australian Medical Association in Western Australia is urging retailers and members of the public to start changing their behaviour in anticipation of new smoking bans to be introduced next month. From 22 September it will be illegal for motorists to smoke while in a car with children and retailers will not be allowed to display cigarettes at checkout points. Yahoo, 27 August 2010 QUOTABLE QUOTES"Rather than training more nicotine addictionologists and tobacco control policy experts, we need to cultivate innovative grassroots activists and steadfast troublemakers. In other words, we need less research, more outspokenness, and more action. It may still be possible to turn the past century's greatest public health failure into a triumph in this one." Alan Blum,
"Smoking and the New York State Journal of Medicine: a brief introduction",
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Last weekend marked the
twentieth anniversary of New Zealand's Smoke-free
Environments Act. It's fitting that this Act is now being
debated again by the Māori Affairs Select Committee as it deliberates on recommendations
it will make to the government following its inquiry.
Demand for tobacco has fallen 15 percent at supermarkets since the tax rise in April – a far greater reduction than expected.
The Quit Group's new look quarterly newsletter is now available to read online:
Need fast info on what makes quitting difficult, where people smoke and public concern about tobacco?
Tobacco Control, an international journal for tobacco control and health professionals, has announced the launch of its new
Finnish President Tarja Halonen has approved a new tobacco act aiming to totally end smoking in Finland, the first country to write the aim of completely banning smoking in a law.
The
Tobacco free Aotearoa Conference 2010 website is now up and running. The theme
of the two-day conference is 'Achieving the Vision Together', focusing on the concept of Kotahitanga (oneness or unity). The conference will be held in Auckland
on 4 and 5 November.
FCTC in the Asia Pacific: Change, Challenge and Progress
4-5 November
2010
Where
possible, links to full articles are provided below each story.
A third of all patients seeking treatment at hospital emergency departments are smokers – a much higher rate than the rest of the population.
"The first full year of the government's new health targets show District Health Boards are delivering more frontline services for our significant investment in the public health service," Health Minister Tony Ryall says.
Doctors
in Wales have condemned the tobacco industry for lobbying to overturn legislation which would ban point of sale displays of tobacco.
In Cairo, where bumming a smoke from a stranger used to be as easy as asking for directions, Sami Amar no longer shares his cigarettes.
So much for virtue. Sin is in. That's according to a mutual fund manager who's finding plenty of investment opportunities in companies profiting from vices like smoking, drinking and gambling.
Conservative radio host and political commentator Rush Limbaugh spoke about the benefits of e-cigarettes while pointing out the bullying tactics of the FDA, Big Pharma and Big Tobacco on his 25 August radio show.