Queensland cracks down on illegal tobacco sales with strict anti-smoking reforms

New laws introduced in the Queensland parliament this week will deliver tougher enforcement options for the illegal sale and supply of tobacco.

The reforms include a new licensing scheme for the sale of tobacco, the expansion of smoke-free areas, and tougher restrictions on cigarette sales in licensed venues.

According to the state government, while the rate of adult smokers in Queensland has more than halved in the last 25 years, smoking is still a significant contributor to death, disease, and health inequity in the state.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that although she was pleased to see smoking rates drop, the government needed to do more and take stronger action to reduce smoking.

“This new legislation will streamline the approach to compliance and enforcement so that agencies can get on with the job of reducing access to illicit tobacco,” Palaszczuk said.

Queensland Health will lead new streamlined enforcement duties and be responsible for the government’s “crackdown” on people who sell illicit tobacco products.

Previously, dealing with illegal tobacco operators involved participation from multiple agencies and across different levels of government.

The Heart Foundation estimates smoking is a main contributor to more than 19,000 coronary heart disease deaths in Queensland each year.

Meanwhile, the Cancer Council says one in five cancers can be attributable to tobacco use. Cancer Council Queensland CEO Andrew Donne said increasing the number of smoke-free venues in the state would help the health of people in the state.

“These changes will reduce the supply of tobacco products, particularly illicit tobacco, and increase the number of smoke-free venues and give Queensland the opportunity to accelerate the decline in smoking rates and ultimately, save lives,” Donne said.

Death rates from heart disease are the lowest they have ever been, with reduction largely due to improvements in treatment and public health interventions. Read more here: https://t.co/7J0yrSQNLG
@HeartAust #HeartHealth #HeartDisease #CardiovasularDisease @MonashHeart pic.twitter.com/OTbBBUn0ih

— Australian Bureau of Statistics (@ABSStats) November 30, 2018

According to Adjunct Professor Terry Selvin, CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia, the fact that so many people still died from tobacco-related diseases showed the work of tobacco control was unfinished. Children’s lives were also at stake, he added.

“Proper controls on how this deadly product is sold, promoted and used are vital pieces of the puzzle. Second hand smoke is still a health issue,” Selvin said.

“All States must step up to play their role in proper local regulation as well as enforcement of the rules.

“All of these reforms are essential as we drive down smoking rates, particularly among children.”

Minister for health and ambulance services Yvette D’Ath said the changes were being in response to stakeholder needs. The government worked with small businesses, public health agencies, retailers and hospitality businesses in developing the new laws.

“We’re delivering the reforms that stakeholders have said they need to be able to take further appropriate action to reduce smoking rates,” D’Ath said.

“We have to do what we can to continue to reduce rates of smoking.”

This week Queensland also announced a parliamentary inquiry into the availability and prevalence of vaping devices. The health risks associated with e-cigarettes on young people will also be a focus of the inquiry.

This article was first published on The Mandarin.