Tobacco

Other tobacco control initiatives

Details of a range of tobacco control initiatives, including tobacco sales to minors and the development of data on the economic costs of drug abuse

National Best Practice Model for Reducing Access to Tobacco by Young People

The report, 'A National Approach for Reducing Access to Tobacco in Australia by Young People under 18 Years of Age' is endorsed by the Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs (IGCD). The report's primary purpose is to outline the key elements of a national best practice model to address young people's access to tobacco. The development of this model was nominated as a priority under the National Tobacco Strategy endorsed by Ministers in 1999.

This model was developed by the Tobacco Policy Officers Group, on which all the Australian State and Territory Health Departments are represented, and with considerable input from the National Expert Advisory Committee on Tobacco. The best practice model provides a guide for the States and Territories to follow or a resource to inform future policy and legislative development, without requiring all elements to be implemented.
'A National Approach for Reducing Access to Tobacco in Australia by Young People under 18 Years of Age' August 2000 (PDF 366 KB) contains five components.

• This report was jointly developed by the Commonwealth and State Governments in order to ensure that the achievements and experiences of key stakeholders in Australia were considered and that the strategy developed reflected the efforts undertaken by them.
  
  The report provides:
  • information on young people's access to tobacco in Australia;
  • a discussion of initiatives and programs undertaken in States and Territories in Australia;
  • an examination of research undertaken internationally and in Australia in order to determine the key elements of a best practice model; and
  • recommendations for a national best practice model for reducing young people's access to tobacco in Australia.
• Appendix A
  State and Territory activities-a summary of programs undertaken by jurisdictions in Australia for addressing young people's access to tobacco products (PDF 204 KB)
  This contains information outlining the legislative programs, enforcement and monitoring activities, training and education programs and evaluation activities undertaken by States and Territories in Australia.
• Appendix B
  Case Studies (PDF 243 KB)
  • Case Study 1: New South Wales Health Department Sales to Minors Program
  • Case Study 2: Western Australian Tobacco and Youth Access Program
  • Case Study 3: Victoria's Western Region Tobacco Project Report
• Appendix C
  Information kit for the implementation of the National Best Practice model (PDF 310 KB)
  An information kit for governmental officers which has been prepared to assist jurisdictions in implementing the best practice recommendation provided in the National Approach. The content and presentation of this kit was discussed at a National Sales to Minors workshop conducted in June 2000.
• Appendix D
  Contacts and resources in Australia (PDF 169 KB)
  This contains a list of contacts and resources available from States and Territories in Australia and New Zealand.

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Licensing of Tobacco Retailers and Wholesalers - Desirability and Best Practice Arrangements

The report 'Licensing of Tobacco Retailers and Wholesalers - Desirability and Best Practice Arrangements' is intended to be a best practice guide that can be used by States and Territories to inform future policy and legislative development. The development of this report was identified as a national priority for the National Tobacco Strategy's key strategy area of 'reducing availability and supply of tobacco'. The report confirms that there is a strong case based on economics and public health benefits for introducing licensing of tobacco retailers, and indicates that best practice involves licensing both wholesalers and retailers. All States and Territories were consulted in relation to the development of the report, which has been endorsed by the Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs.

• Licensing of Tobacco Retailers and Wholesalers - Desirability and Best Practice Arrangements (PDF 438 KB)

Portrayal of smoking in the media

In July 2001 the Department funded research into the level of incidental portrayal of smoking in the media as part of the National Tobacco Strategy's key strategy area of 'reducing tobacco promotion'. The research was undertaken by Curtin University in Western Australia.

The research was funded as an expansion of an existing three year project funded by Healthway in Western Australia, as part of the evaluation of Western Australia's Smarter than Smoking project. The project was extended to include an analysis of media targeting the 18-30 year age group and a study of smoking depiction on the Internet.

The research, completed in March 2003, provides contemporary Australian data on the depiction of smoking in the media including analysis of national and State news media, magazines, films, popular music including videos and radio, and Internet sites. The report on the research is available below:

• Incidental Smoking in the Media Study (PDF 490 KB)

The development of data on the economic costs of drug abuse

In 1990 the Commonwealth Department of Human Services and Health commissioned an independent assessment of the health, social and economic costs associated with drug consumption in Australia, including tobacco. The resulting report, titled Estimating the Economic Cost of Drug Abuse, estimated the economic costs associated with tobacco at $6.84 billion per annum, compared with $1.44 billion for illicit drugs. In deriving the estimate, costs were balanced against revenue and savings (for example from premature deaths).

An update of this research was commissioned by the Commonwealth in 1996. The report from this research, titled The Social Costs of Drug Abuse in Australia in 1988 and 1992, estimated the economic costs of tobacco consumption imposed on the Australian community at more than $12.7 billion per year compared with $4.5 billion per year for alcohol and $1.7 billion per year for illicit drugs. The annual cost to the community of $12.7 billion for tobacco use comprised:

• $6.5 billion of tangible costs, including those associated with loss of workforce productivity, health care costs and resources used in addictive tobacco consumption; and
• $6.2 billion of intangible costs, including mortality (value of loss of life to deceased, consumption foregone by deceased). It should be noted that this study did not include costs associated with passive smoking, welfare, absenteeism, property costs of accidental fires, and ambulance services. The rate of increase in costs of tobacco use between 1988 and 1992 was 30.7%.

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The development of tobacco related morbidity and mortality data

In May 1995, the Commonwealth released The Quantification of Drug Caused Morbidity and Mortality in Australia 1995. This publication can be ordered from the Divisional publications officer. The report, prepared by Professors English and Holman and commissioned by the Commonwealth, provides an update, based on 1992 data, of drug caused mortality and morbidity in Australia.

The report estimated total mortality to be 123 651 persons in 1992. Of this number, 23 068 deaths were drug related deaths (i.e. deaths due to alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs) and 18 920 were specifically attributable to active tobacco smoking.

Based on these estimates, tobacco related deaths in Australia account for 15.3% of all deaths and 82% of all drug related deaths.

The development of data on tobacco related patterns of usage, knowledge and behaviours

A report entitled 1998 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: First Results was publicly released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare in August 1999. The 'First Results' report presents summary data collected in Australia's most comprehensive national survey on drug issues. The surveys have been the principal data collection vehicle used to monitor trends and evaluate progress under the National Drug Strategy. The report includes summary data on tobacco related patterns of usage, knowledge and attitudes, and behaviours. The report findings include:

• a decline in the proportion of people aged 14 years and over who had used tobacco in the preceding 12 months from 27% in 1995 to 26% in 1998;
• a decline in the rate of "regular" smoking from 24% in 1995 to 22% in 1998;
• more than half (54%) of recent tobacco smokers aged 14 -17 obtained their tobacco from retailers, despite being under-age;
• continued high support (90%) for enforcement of laws against selling tobacco and alcohol products to minors;
• increase in support for banning tobacco advertising at sporting events (from 53% in 1995 to 62% in 1998); and
• increase in support for banning smoking in shopping centres (from 76% to 83%) and restaurants (74% to 77%).

A report titled Statistics on Drug Use in Australia 1998 is the eighth in a series originally titled Statistics on Drug Abuse in Australia, which was produced by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care. The Statistics on Drug Use in Australia 1998 publication was produced by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and was released in April 2000. The report includes data from the 1998 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, the preliminary findings of which were published as 1998 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: First Results (AIHW 1999).

• Findings relevant to tobacco use include the following:
• On the international league table, Australia dropped from 10th place in 1986 to 17th in 1996 for per capita consumption of cigarettes. This equates to Australians smoking on average 700 fewer cigarettes each a year;
• 25% of males aged 14 years and over and 20% of females reported being current regular smokers (ie daily, or most days);
• Around 28% of males and 40% of females had never smoked a full cigarette; Daily smoking was most prevalent in the 20 -29 year age group for both men (33%) and women (30%) in 1998;
• The prevalence of regular smoking was lowest in the 60 years and over group for both males (15%) and females (10%);
• The age group that had the highest proportion of nonsmokers (ie those who had never had a full cigarette) was 14-19 years for males (49%) and 60 years or more for females (54%);
• Almost 23,000 Australian deaths in 1997 were attributable to drug use. Of these, 18,224 deaths were tobacco-related (80%), 3,668 were alcohol-related and 832 deaths were related to illicit drug use;
• Most deaths in all age groups (except those aged 15 - 34 years) were attributable to tobacco;
• For those aged 15 - 34 years, 9% of drug-related deaths were tobacco-related with 50% due to alcohol misuse and 42% to illicit drug use; and
• The measure with the greatest support for reducing smoking was stricter enforcement of the law against supplying cigarettes to persons under age (supported by 88% of males and 92% of females).

Further information on Household Survey can be obtained at the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) website.

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