Australia: Secondhand Smoking is still an Issue in Victoria  

Source from:  Ballarat (Vic) Courier (au)  08/21/2013

Last week the Minister for Health David Davis announced new research from the Cancer Council Victoria suggesting only 13.3 per cent of Victorians are now regular smokers.

This is a reduction of 21.2 per cent from 1998. Still almost 4000 Victorians die from smoking related illness every year. In particular, he noted the government's interest in reducing the number of smoking young people and reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.

The next round of smoking bans in Victoria will be enforced around children's playgrounds, skate parks and children's sporting facilities by the end of the year.

Further government consideration is now being given to alfresco smoking bans.

The Cancer Council research suggests 70 per cent of people support smoking bans in outdoor drinking and dining areas.

Ballarat Community Health would strongly support this initiative.

We should protect our children and the community in general from the dangers associated with secondhand smoke exposure.

We should promote to our children that the decision not to smoke is normal, and that smoking is an unusual behaviour detrimental to health.

Along with the dangers to physical health of smoking, we see with every price rise in cigarettes an increasing financial and emotional burden among the smokers in our community.

There are options for information and assistance for smokers who want to quit smoking: Ballarat Community Health offers a smoking cessation service (tel: 5338 4500); discuss quitting with your general practitioner or pharmacist, or call Quitline on 137 848. Enditem