No Images? Click here December 2019Oceania Tobacco Control Conference 2019Held in sunny Sydney, the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference (OTCC) 2019 brought together over 450 health professionals, researchers and policy advocates from across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Nations. The conference theme was making tobacco control a priority and across the three days there were robust discussions on ways we need to step up our fight in this field. Presenters highlighted the necessity to embed smoking cessation in hospital care and address gravely high smoking rates in priority populations (including people experiencing mental illness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people within the LGBTIQ+ community). Policy approaches to end tobacco sales were explored such as minimum price policies, strengthened retailer regulations and flavoured product bans. There was also a strong call for increased funding towards Australia's National Tobacco Campaign to ensure the national target of reducing smoking rates to 10% is achieved by 2025. A number of leaders and unsung heroes within tobacco control were recognised at the conference with Emeritus Professor Mike Daube receiving the Medal of Distinguished Service, Paul Grogan (Cancer Council Australia) receiving the Nigel Gray Award and Sue Taylor (T & T Consulting Limited) accepting the Dame Tariana Turia Award. Dr Raglan Maddox (University of Canberra) was awarded the Early Career Award and Lorena Chapman received the highly commended award in the same category. The team at Make Smoking History would like to acknowledge Cancer Council New South Wales and their partners for coordinating such a successful event and we look forward to the next! The Make Smoking History Team at OTCC 2019 Lorena Chapman receiving Highly Commended in the Early Career Award category Reducing smoking prevalence in Indigenous communities across Oceania Panel discussion Smoking costs Australia close to $137 billionNew research from the National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) has estimated the total cost of smoking in Australia to be $137 billion in 2015/16. This amount includes tangible costs (~$19.2 billion) such as hospital, medical and social expenses, spending on tobacco by dependent smokers and costs arising from workplace absenteeism, as well as significant intangible costs (~$117.7 billion). Intangible costs include value of life lost, pain and suffering, both from premature mortality and from the lost quality of life of those experiencing smoking attributable ill health. Burden of tobacco use in Australia Report (2019)According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, smoking contributes to health burden more than any other risk factor, and was responsible for 9.3% of the total burden of disease in Australia, in 2015. Read the full report or download the Burden of tobacco use in Australia fact sheet for more information. Make Smoking History Community Services projectsStoptober launch with Alycia Simmonds from Cancer Council WA 'Stoptober' at Wooroloo Prison Farm 'Smoke-free' artwork created by patients Smoke-Free Mental Health Project E-cigarettesThe West Australian opinion piece Cancer Council WA, the Australian Council on Smoking and Health, the Australian Medical Association (WA) and the Aboriginal Health Council of WA, have released an opinion piece on these devices and in support of the current stance taken by the Australian Government Department of Health. Read the opinion piece here. Smoke-free signageMake Smoking History has recently launched a range of smoke-free signs designed for community services and general use. To find the right poster for your organisation or guidelines to create your own, head to the Make Smoking History website. Guidance for public officials on interacting with the tobacco industryThe Australian Government Department of Health has developed a resource for public officials who interact with the tobacco industry. It contains the legal framework placed on public agencies and officials under Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The guidelines are available at the Australian Government Department of Health website. |