Smoking Rate Reduction

Ms VIRGINIA JUDGE: My question is to the Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer). Will the Minister update the House on the Government's continued efforts to cut smoking rates?

The SPEAKER: Order! Before the Minister commences her reply, I advise the member for Coffs Harbour and the Leader of The Nationals that if they continue to call out they will be dealt with swiftly.

Ms VERITY FIRTH: Smoking is the greatest cause of premature death in New South Wales. Each year in New South Wales smoking causes more than 6,500 deaths. Smoking continues to be a major burden on our public hospitals, with more than 55,000 hospital visits a year attributable to tobacco smoking. The cost to the New South Wales community in 1999 as a result of tobacco smoking was conservatively estimated to be $6.6 billion. We see the advertisements, we see the warnings on cigarette packets and we know the facts: tobacco causes cancer, heart disease, gangrene and stroke, and will kill half of all smokers. Research suggests that the overwhelming majority of smokers start smoking before the age of 25 years. In fact, it says that 8 in 10 smokers start smoking in their teens. By the age of 20 years, 8 out of 10 of these smokers regret that they ever started smoking, having underestimated the addictive powers of nicotine.

We must work together to help the next generation of children avoid a lifetime of addiction to this terrible habit. Young people are more influenced by tobacco marketing and gimmicks than adults, as revealed in all of our research. We need to reduce our children's exposure to cigarettes. For these reasons the New South Wales Government already has undertaken a number of initiatives aimed at tobacco companies promoting specific youth marketing ploys. For example, we have banned the sale of fruit and confectionery-flavoured cigarettes. These cigarettes were placed in packets designed to glow under disco lights and had flavours such as chocolate, strawberry and lime and were deliberately aimed at a youth demographic. We have banned these cigarettes from sale in New South Wales. Further, we have banned mobile vendors of tobacco products at youth events.

Cigarette products still are far too visible to children. Every suburban shopping centre has huge displays of cigarette packets for sale alongside lollies, chips and other children's treats. We need to find ways to remove the visual lure of cigarettes to children at their local shops. Research tells us that 9 out of 10 community members surveyed believe that cigarettes should not be displayed at shop counters. In fact, they believe cigarettes should be placed out of the sight of children. We must find ways to prevent children from marketing ploys that aim to tempt them to take up smoking. We need also to help smokers, who are trying to quit, from constant bombardment at supermarket checkouts, which display cigarettes literally in front of them to entice them to smoke.

We not only want to stop kids from taking up smoking; we also must act to protect vulnerable young lungs from the harms of tobacco. In particular, it is incredibly harmful for young lungs to inhale concentrated tobacco smoke when an adult smokes in the family car with a child present and the car windows wound up. We know that a child exposed to that level of concentrated tobacco smoke is more likely to take up the habit later in life and become a smoker. Today I announced a package of measures to reduce children's exposure to cigarettes. That package will be released for community consultation and I urge all members of the House to become involved in this process, rather than heckling the proposal. The effects of tobacco smoking are serious public health issues and should not be the subject of continued heckling by members opposite.

The proposed measures include banning smoking in cars with child passengers, a move that 90 per cent of the community supports. The proposed measures will ban shop counter displays of cigarettes by keeping cigarettes out of the sight of children; toughen registration and licensing of tobacco retailers to enable immediate deregistration if convicted of selling cigarettes to minors; and restrict employees under 18 years of age from being able to sell tobacco products. Further, the measures include a broad review of tobacco marketing and gimmicks, for example, cigarette warmers, electric cigarettes and any form of giveaways when tobacco companies go to corporate events and fashion shows. The measures also include a continued commitment to public education campaigns that encourage adult smokers to quit, a factor that has contributed to strong declines in teenage smoking rates.

A number of members in this place have long been dedicated advocates of children's rights to a smoke-free life, but few more so than Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile. I am pleased to inform the House that canvassed in this discussion paper are measures of which he has been a long-term staunch advocate. The Government looks forward to working with him and other members in this process. The number of smokers in New South Wales is declining. Our smoking rates now are amongst the lowest in the world. In fact, in New South Wales, we have an estimated 155,800 fewer adult smokers than in 2003. We are heading in the right direction. To date our progress reflects the New South Wales Government proactive policy and program initiatives aimed at meeting declining smoking rates. That is our ultimate goal.

Proactive policy changes have altered the social environment whereby today smoking is no longer the norm. Significant progress has been made over the past decade, nevertheless, we must remember that there is no room for complacency; we need to keep the push going. We must remember that adolescence is the key life phase for initiation to smoking. We need further measures to protect our children from tobacco-caused harm. We will continue to lead towards a non-smoking culture in New South Wales.

I cannot imagine a parent in this State who wants their children exposed to the marketing of cigarettes and to be tempted by a habit that in almost every case leads to addiction and cuts years out of individual lives. I do not believe any parent struggling with their own addictions to cigarettes wants to pass that legacy on to their children. These measures are about helping to prevent that process. I welcome the upcoming consultation process and steps to improve the health of New South Wales families now and into the future. I encourage the New South Wales community to have its say.