Australia: Experts Criticize Government’s Strategy To Curb Smoking

Source from:  VapinPost 09/16/2019

Two renowned anti-smoking crusaders amongst whom renowned expert Prof. Colin Mendelsohn, have spoken against a “recycled” initiative to cut smoking rates, a strategy which has failed in the past.

The Australian federal government is planning to spend $20 million on an initiative to cut smoking rates to under 10% by 2025. Health Minister Greg Hunt announced the motion at last week’s National Press Club address.

Conjoint associate professor Colin Mendelsohn, from UNSW’s School of Public Health and Community Medicine, responded to this announcement saying that the target was first set after COAG signed off on it in 2008, and was already unsuccessful. “Of course we came nowhere near that target,” said Associate Professor Mendelsohn.

“I was very surprised the Health Minister re-announced the same target for a date six years in the future, with no mention of the fact that we’d actually failed to come close to achieving it over the last six years. Nothing was actually offered and I can’t see any reason why things will change. The flatline of smoking will probably continue unless we actually introduce more new and effective measures,” he added.

Australia’s smoking rate has been steady at 14% since 2013. Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation president Alex Wodak, said that this standstill needs to be addressed. “It is frustrating,” he said. “Now the same target is being recycled without any change in strategies or policy.”  Enditem