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News April - June 2010


Anti-smoking move backed by Tom Calma
Indigenous anti-smoking campaigner Tom Calma has backed the Federal Government decision to increase the tax on cigarettes, and for them to be sold in plain packaging. Read the Koori Mail article here.


SESIAHS and Cancer Council NSW are launching a special project to help plug the gap in smoking rates between rich and poor
South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health and Cancer Council NSW are holding a free World No Tobacco Day event on Tuesday 8 June. The two hour information session will discuss: smoking as a social justice issue; the barriers and challenges to quit smoking; the new free NSW Smoking Care Training program provided by Cancer Council NSW; and the Nicotine Replacement Therapy grants available to assist clients quit smoking. Venue information can be found here.


SmokeCheck celebrates World No Tobacco Day on 31st May 2010
Be a part of the SmokeCheck World No Tobacco Day Target - Let's Speak to 2,400 Aboriginal Women in 1 Day! The SmokeCheck Team encourages all SmokeCheck-trained workers to make a special effort on 31 May 2010, World No Tobacco Day, to have a yarn with Aboriginal women about their smoking. Visit our World No Tobacco Day 2010 webpage for further information and to print some eye-catching posters. You can also download our World No Tobacco Day information sheet.


Take The Cancer Institute's pledge to Quit Smoking on 31st May 2010
The Cancer Institute is promoting World No Tobacco Day as the day to prepare to quit. They have set up The Day I Quit website to share the experiences and stories of recent quitters who they refer to as 'our heros'. At the heart of their experiences are the positive implications of how quitting smoking has benefitted them and their families. SmokeCheck encourage you to take the pledge to quit smoking and it would be great if you could support your clients to do the same. Through this site you can also join in the discussions on Facebook! For further information visit The Day I Quit website.

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At last, truth in cigarette advertising
From January 2012, all cigarettes will be sold in plain packages. No logos, no shiny finishes, no bright colours, no pretty pictures. Read Becky Freeman and Simon Chapman's Sydney Morning Herald article here.


FREE NRT patches for Aboriginal people
Did you know that Nicotine patches (15mg) are available FREE of charge through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by presenting a doctor's certificate in the pharmacy?


Light at the end of the tunnel...Are smoking rates of Aboriginal Australians on the decrease?
A study recently published by David P Thomas (2009) examines the trends in smoking prevalence of Australian Indigenous men and women aged 18 and over in three large national cross-sectional surveys in 1994, 2002 and 2004. Read his report "Smoking prevalence trends in indigenous Australians, 1994-2004: a typical rather than an exceptional epidemic."


No cigarettes at point of sale in shops
New legislation in NSW will mean that tobacco must be out of sight of the public from July 2010 for all retailers, including tobacconists For retailers with over 50 staff such as Coles and Woolworth's supermarkets, this law is already in place.

Tobacco vending machines will also come under this new legislation, with only one vending machine allowed per premises. From 1 July 2010, the vending machine must be operated by staff intervention. For further information visit NSW Health website.


SmokeCheck Workshops in the news
The following articles were published by local media outlets regarding SmokeCheck Workshops held in their area:

Tamworth City News - Helping others to quit the habit on 6 May 2010.

Manning River Times - Health workers trained to check on 4 May 2010.

Condobolin Argus - Keeping smoking in check on 19 May 2010.

Wellington Times - New program to target Indigenous smokers on 4 June 2010.

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