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The Non Smokers' Movement of Australia | |||
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Protecting the rights of the Non-smoking majority
from tobacco smoke and from the tobacco industry's propaganda. |
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Issue 58, August-September 2009
Keep children away from the poisons in tobacco smoke. Keep the poisons in tobacco smoke away from children. 
Children can't go into gambling areas, nor porn shops - why allow them into areas where smoking is allowed? "Child abuse doesn't have to mean broken bones and black and blue marks. Young growing tissues are far more vulnerable to carcinogens than those of adults. Knowingly subjecting children to respiratory tract disease is child abuse." Dr. William Cahan, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA, 1993 Our Governments must protect those who cannot protect themselves Editorial - September 2009 The Non-Smokers' Movement of Australia Inc. continues to declare and demand, since 1977 - Every body has the right to clean, smokefree air - clean water, clean air - every body's inalienable rights. We continue to remind families and individuals that they should not be forced to search for clean smokefree places, either in public or in private. Nobody has the right to pollute the air they breathe. We remind people whenever they say -"but where will the smokers go??" We remind them that smokers may have a dubious right to use a legally available product but not where it affects others. And that smokers should be directed to a limited number of simple, designated outdoor smoking areas/spaces, not to condone smoking but to contain and restrict the poisonous smoke and the filthy butts. Where no Designated Outdoor Smoking Area is in sight, smokers should find a space well-distanced from others, before indulging in their dangerous drug-taking. We remind families also that - If you can smell the smoke, then those poisons in tobacco smoke are going deep into yours and your children's lungs. We continue to support NSMA members who are fighting for smokefree living in single and multi-unit dwellings. One member has been living away from her home unit, staying with other family for over 18 months, building her health and strength in readiness to getting rid of the smoke which affected her for every waking moment she spent in her own home. Her once-supportive neighbours can only seem to think of their hip-pockets and have so far refused to introduce a non-smoking by-law into their Strata Plan. Margaret Hogge, President. Dob in a Tosser Heart/Lung Protection and Bushfire Prevention ACT City Rangers Ph 02 6207 7132 Fax 02 6207 7133 NSW 131555 or 02 9995 5555 info@environment.nsw.gov.au QLD No direct complaint line, so contact Premier Bligh 07 3224 4500 or email to premier@premiers.qld.gov.au NT No direct complaint line, so contact Chief Minister Paul Henderson Ph: 08 8901 4000 or fax 08 8901 4099 WA 08 6467 5129 SA epainfo@epa.sa.gov.au 08 8204 2000 or 1 800 623 445 VIC 1 800 35 25 55 TAS Look who's Littering 03 6233 6518 Please consider making a bequest to NSMA Inc. in your will, so that we can continue the fight for clean air, free from the poisons in tobacco smoke. Mass Mailout sent to all State and Federal Members of Parliament Earlier this year we wrote to every Federal and State Member of Parliament in Australia with a comprehensive list of actions required in order to protect Australians from tobacco smoke. February 2009 "Dear MP Everybody has the Right to breathe Clean Air, free from the Poisons in Secondhand Tobacco Smoke The Non-Smokers' Movement of Australia has fought for thirty years for every body's rights to breathe clean air, free from the poisons in secondhand tobacco smoke. Clean water, clean air - every body's inalienable rights. Our Governments protect our right to clean water in our taps - we have every right expect our Governments to protect our right to breathe clean air. Some may say that the battles for clean air rights are almost over but we must point out that, due to greed, ignorance, addiction and complacency, there are still more than 3 million Australians who smoke and expel the poisons in secondhand tobacco smoke. Children continue to take up smoking at an alarming rate, with very few restrictions. Worse still, innocent victims are forced to breathe in the poisons in secondhand smoke from those 3 million smokers - children, disabled people and the frail-aged are the silent and helpless victims and their rights are far more important and valid than those of smokers who claim a right to smoke anywhere because they are using a so-called legal product. Smokers should only be allowed to use their drug of addiction where they do not affect others. We call on you, our elected representatives in Australia's Governments, to protect your Australian constituents from this totally preventable epidemic. We are aware that you, personally, may have restricted powers within your sphere of government, but there are several measures available to all of you with which to fight this dreadful epidemic. If cigarettes were syringes, our Governments would have banned them decades ago. The difference is in the delivery of the drug of addiction and, of course, the immediate effect on everyone nearby. Also, the difference with this highly addictive drug is that our Governments are highly dependent on the tax revenues and that many politicians may themselves be addicted to nicotine or to tobacco industry sponsorship. We are only too aware of tobacco-friendly organisations who declare that "Democracy isn't cheap". Australia is, however, signatory to the International Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and has committed to "take measures 'providing protection from exposure to tobacco smoke in indoor workplaces, public transport, indoor public places, and, as appropriate, other public places'. In addition, we call on you to protect non-smokers in other, non-public places, especially in vehicles and in the home, and in residential institutions. In the matter of secondhand smoke in the home, nobody should smoke at home where children, frail aged or disabled people are present. In any instance of smoking where children are present, a smoker should be prosecuted for child abuse. Spanking a child is regarded as child abuse. Smoking near a child, with the possibility of triggering life-threatening conditions such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and asthma, must also be designated as child abuse. Nobody should be forced to barricade their family into their home in order to protect them from smoke assault from neighbours. Smoke travels throughout home unit buildings and through open windows and doorways. Governments must support everyone who wishes to gain smokefree living conditions for their family. Support Strata Corporations in introducing no-smoking by-laws to prevent smoke-drift within apartment buildings. Support home owners if neighbours allow their secondhand smoke to drift into their property. 
Children smoking in the park The basic steps towards a truly tobacco-free and smokefree Australia
We are happy to discuss these points further, especially in public forums. Newly announced: National Preventative Health Taskforce Yet to be implemented - let's keep up the momentum on this very comprehensive set of regulations. We note that many of our policies are being taken up at last, but there is as yet no solution to one of our most pressing demands - that of government legislation to protect children, etc. from secondhand tobacco smoke in the home. Children can't and won't speak up for themselves - they don't even know that the smoke is harming them. Casey Stoner "Young Australian of the Year 2008" Winner of NSMA's Stinkies Award for promotion of tobacco. Don't worry Casey, you may not be winning races but we won't take our award away from you, just as we haven't forgotten contributions to tobacco promotion and smoking ban delays by the following prominent Australians: "Nicotine" Nick Greiner, Roden "Cut-Down" Cutler, Carla "Carnage" Zampatti, Paul "Winfailed" Hogan, John "Democracy Ain't Cheap" Thorpe, Nathan "Reaper" Rees, and Nic "Light-up" Kidman, as well as the Kerry Puffer Packer and his Mob. 
Casey Stoner Tobacco Out of Sight in Shops: Information from ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) Australia. ACT, NSW, Tasmania and Victoria have legislated to end tobacco displays in shops. * ACT for all shops except tobacconists by end-2009, tobacconists by end-2010; * NSW for large shops by end-2009, smaller shops by mid-2010, tobacconists by 2013; * Victoria by Jan. 2011; * Tasmania for all but a few tobacconists by Feb 2011. The WA government also has legislation before parliament; NT has foreshadowed it and Qld is considering it. International News from Big Tobacco, links with Australia. Philip Morris Manager Interviewed The following are excerpts from an interview with Managing Director John Gledhill of Philip Morris Korea Inc. conducted by The Korea Post on the occasion of his winning a Commendation Award of the Minister of Commerce, Industry & Energy of the Korean Government on the 2nd Foreign Company Day on Dec. 9, 2002. Question: Please explain briefly Philip Morris' contributions to the Korean economy. Answer: Philip Morris, the producer of Marlboro, the world's No. 1 selling cigarette, is committed to the Korean community and the Korean marketplace. In 2001, Philip Morris Korea Inc. (PMK) contributed 250 billion won (US$209 million) in excise and education taxes and other related funds to the nation's tax revenue. We are also contributing to the local economy by creating job opportunities. As part of societal alignment efforts, since 1999 the company has donated a total of eighteen refrigerator trucks to the Food Bank network nationwide to help fight hunger. John Gledhill (head of PMI in Australia 2004-2009) is currently head of Philip Morris in Indonesia and was questioned by ABC's Foreign Correspondent about his conscience and selling tobacco to minors in Indonesia. John Gledhill, who has just moved from Australia, says his conscience is clear. "I work for a company which I believe not only follows the law by the letter but also the spirit as well," he said. British American Tobacco picks new chairman(AFP) August 18, 2009, London - British American Tobacco, the world's second biggest cigarette maker, said on Wednesday it had appointed Richard Burrows, who resigned as head of ailing Bank of Ireland Group, as its new chairman. The Irishman succeeds Jan du Plessis who leaves BAT to become chairman of Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto. Burrows, who has spent much of his career in the alcoholic drinks business described his latest appointment as "such an exciting opportunity at such a world class company". Overheard at young women's rowing team training session. Coach: You know that cigarettes can kill you. But don't worry about the smoking killing you - if I catch you smoking, I'll kill you. Our politicians need educating: Letter from M. Hogge to The Editor, as printed in the Manly Daily Tony Abbott Federal MP and shadow Minister for Health, thinks smoking in the car with kids is trivial, and that it's tantamount to NannyState Politics to ban it. (Sydney Uni. Public Health Debate, 1 July 2009) Well - this, as Professor Terence Stephenson, President of UK's Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, says, is "legitimate Nanny Territory". And you, Mr. Abbott, should stop suckling on Big Tobacco's Donations Teat and go to the Naughty Corner. Don't come out until you've written 16,000 times "Smoking Kills and Secondhand Smoke Kills" Weasel words from British American Tobacco Australia (BATA) Sensible Regulation of Tobacco British American Tobacco (BATA) is Australia's leading tobacco company, accounting for 45.5 percent of the tobacco market in Australia. The company manufactures and distributes cigarettes and roll-your-own tobaccos; it also distributes pipe tobaccos and cigars. Our brands include Winfield, Benson & Hedges, Dunhill, Pall Mall, Holiday, Kent and Lucky Strike. We have operations in every Australian state and territory, and directly employ over 1,100 people and our federal excise contribution alone is approximately $3 billion. Because of the real and serious risks of smoking, BATA supports the sensible regulation of tobacco products. In BATA's view, sensible tobacco regulation considers and reflects the differing needs and preferences of all affected stakeholders including consumers, tobacco retailers, hospitality providers, public health authorities and tobacco companies. Above all, we believe that the hallmark of sensible regulation lies with its workability and enforceability, as well as its ability to demonstrate clear and measurable public policy objectives. Any proposal should meet this benchmark before being enshrined in legislation. Smoking in the media The pictures below are from everyday media stories - they depict smoking without depicting graphic warnings of the dangers of smoking. They show smoking as an everyday part of life, whereas smoking should be depicted as an everyday part of death. 
We call on all media to illustrate all tobacco-related stories with graphic warnings. Congratulations to Independent MP in Western Australia, Dr. Janet Woollard, for the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Bill earlier this year, to which NSMA made submission. Chicken Feed fine for Drug Dealers!! Colde Sydney, Aug 13 AAP - The owners of Coles Express have been ordered to pay $107,000 in fines plus court costs for illegally advertising cigarettes in 26 shops across NSW. The NSW Health Department took the store owners Eureka Operations to court last year arguing it had contravened the NSW Public Health Act by advertising tobacco publicly. But in the NSW Supreme Court, Justice Bruce James said the offences were at the lower end of the range of objective seriousness. The company was "a corporate citizen of good character" which had shown "genuine regret" for its actions and was not at risk of reoffending, Local Government delivers the goods - we urge all members to contact their Local Government Councillors (as well as State and Federal MPs) to continue the good work being carried out at Grassroots Level, protecting everybody's rights to clean air, in the community, at crowded outdoor events, such as concerts and markets, around childcare centres and schools, parks, pools and other recreation areas, shopping centres, etc. The Royal Coaches Exhibition of 1977: 
From the archives, produced by long time member John Collins. |
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The Non-Smokers' Movement of Australia Inc, Box K860, Haymarket NSW 1240. | |||
| This page was last updated on 12th October, 2009. | ||||
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