• World No Tobacco Day 31 May 2011 - SmokeCheck resources
• SmokeCheck finds Facebook in time for WNTD 2011!
• The Inaugrual A-TRAC Symposium, registrations being taken now!
• Now butt out: new push seeks to outlaw cigarettes
• Smoking: An Indigenous Health Challenge broadcast
• Graduate Diploma of Indigenous Health Promotion students graduate at Sydney Uni
• The WHO's World No Tobacco Day 2011 Campaign
• Australia first with plain packaging following WHO's FCTC recommendations
• Cancer Council Queensland announces travel grant applications for the 2011 Oceania Tobacco Control Conference
• SmokeCheck in the Koori Mail
• National Live Longer roadshow kicks off
• SmokeCheck trains 1000 health workers!
• Tobacco plain packaging design released

World No Tobacco Day 31 May 2011 - SmokeCheck resources updated 18 May 2011
The SmokeCheck Team encourages all SmokeCheck trained health workers to talk to clients about their smoking on World No Tobacco Day, Tuesday 31 May. Take time on WNTD to think about smoking and its effects in your community. If each trained health worker spoke to 3 clients on WNTD 2011, over 3000 Aboriginal people will be reached on one day! Please click here for our information sheet on the WNTD 2011 campaign with some great ideas for the day. We've also recently produced new posters, which you can download by clicking here, or order them in A2 size by completing this form.

See below for further information about our new SmokeCheck Facebook page which is now live!

SmokeCheck finds Facebook in time for WNTD 2011! posted 18 May 2011
We've set up a Facebook page in preparation for WNTD 2011. Check it out and let us know what you think! Share it with your friends, and feel free to post information about your own events. Find us on Facebook here.

Registrations are open for the Inaugural A-TRAC Symposium to be held from 22-23 June 2011 in Sydney posted 25 May 2011
The A-TRAC Symposium is focused on building skills and knowledge for Aboriginal communities to address tobacco resistance and control, particularly through ACCHSs. It also includes a Pre-symposium Smokecheck Workshop on Tuesday 21 June. To find out more, register or submit an abstract please visit their website: www.ahmrc.org.au/ictim/atrac.

Now butt out: new push seeks to outlaw cigarettes posted 25 May 2011
Follow the discussion posted by The Age on 22 May regarding the proposal to outlaw cigarettes altogether on their site www.theage.com.au.

Smoking: An Indigenous Health Challenge broadcast posted 18 May 2011
The Rural Health Education Foundation is hosting a panel discussing innovative strategies both to discourage the take up of smoking by young people and to help others quit. The panel features Chair: Dr Norman Swan (Presenter of the Health Report on ABC Radio National), Dr Rowena Ivers (General Practitioner, Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service, NSW), Ms Toni Mason (Aboriginal Tobacco Control Project Officer, Quit Victoria), Ms Jasmine Sarin (AH&MRC Senior Tobacco Resistance & Control Officer, NSW), Mr Sean Appoo (Regional Tobacco Coordinator, Tharawal Aboriginal Medical Service, NSW) and Professor Nick Zwar (Professor of General Practice, University of NSW).

The program will be broadcast live on Tuesday May 24th at 8.0pm(AEST) via satellite television broadcast and online webcast here. For more information see their information sheet here. DVDs of the program can be ordered for free by ringing the Foundation on 1800 646 015.

Graduate Diploma of Indigenous Health Promotion students graduate at Sydney Uni posted 13 May 2011
Friday 13 May is a great day for the Sydney School of Public Health's graduating Indigenous Health Promotion students! Last year's cohort came from all over the country to graduate today on this beautiful Sydney spring morning. A fitting celebration given their hard work, congratulations to all of you! See a Sydney Uni News article about them here. To find out more about the Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health click here.

The WHO's World No Tobacco Day 2011 (WNTD 2011) posted 11 May 2011
The World Health Organization (WHO) has selected "The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)" as the theme for WTND 2011. It will highlight the importance of the treaty’s guidelines being met by the participating countries, to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke. For more information about WNTD 2011 and FCTC download the WHO's flyer here or go to their WNTD 2011 website to download their poster and other resources, and do the online quiz!

Australia first with plain packaging following WHO's FCTC recommendations posted 11 May 2011
Australia is the first country to commit to implementing radically plain packaging, following the recommendations of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The Australian government has announced some of the world’s toughest laws on tobacco packaging, banning industry logos, brands and colours and requiring all packages to be the same dark olive colour. Graphic warnings will cover 75% of the front of packs and 90% of the back. “The new packs have been designed to have the lowest appeal to smokers and to make clear the terrible effects that smoking can have on your health,” says Minister for Health, Ms Nicola Roxon. The new law is planned to come into effect on 1 January 2012.)
(sourced from http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/89/5/11-010511/en/

Cancer Council Queensland announces travel grant applications for the 2011 Oceania Tobacco Control Conference posted 4 May 2011
Cancer Council Queensland is pleased to announce the opportunity for delegates to apply for a travel grant to attend the 2011 Oceania Tobacco Control Conference: Burying the Habit: Moving to a Tobacco Free Future. Applications are due before 23 May 2011. Please click here to find out more about application requirements. For more information about the conference please visit their website at: www.oceaniatc.asnevents.com.au.

SmokeCheck in the Koori Mail posted 21 April 2011
SmokeCheck has made it to the latest edition of the Koori Mail! Highlighting the training of our 1000th health worker, Sandra Wallace, the article also features an interview with our senior trainer Luciana Massi. To read the article, click here.

National Live Longer roadshow kicks off posted 14 April 2011
The Minister for Indigenous Health, Warren Snowden, has launched a new national campaign called Live Longer featuring community events across the country to help extend the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It's a central part of the Australian Government's $21.3 million investment over four years to establish and run Local Community Campaigns. Read the press release here.

SmokeCheck trains 1000 health workers! posted 14 April 2011
At a workshop held at the University of Sydney on Tuesday 5 April, SmokeCheck trained their 1000th health worker in brief intervention for smoking cessation. We had a morning tea to celebrate the occasion and congratulate our 1000th person trained, Sandra Wallace. Check out the photos in the events gallery on our website.

Tobacco plain packaging design released posted 11 April 2011
Australia will become the first country in the world to require tobacco products to be sold in plain packaging, to reduce their appeal to consumers. Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said "the new packs have been designed to have the lowest appeal to smokers and to make clear the terrible effects that smoking can have on your health." For more information click here.