Smoking Queensland: Plan to phase out cigarettes completely
QUEENSLAND Health Minister Cameron Dick says he is open to the idea of lifelong smoking bans for young people but wants to see the effect of the state’s impending tough anti-smoking laws first.
Cancer Council Queensland is advocating for a complete phase out of smoking, meaning all children born after 2001 would never legally be allowed to smoke.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young called on Queenslanders to outlaw cigarettes in homes and cars to reduce the risks of passive smoke to children.
However, Mr Dick said yesterday he would not extend smoking bans any further until his raft of restrictive smoking laws come into force later this year.
From September 1 the state’s stringent anti-smoking laws will be extended to areas including sporting events where children are training or participating, taxi ranks, bus stops, government precincts and all aged-care facilities.
Yesterday, Mr Dick raised concerns about the “unintended consequences” the changes proposed by CCQ would have on tourism in Queensland, particularly the Gold Coast.
“I think we need to consider what are some of the consequences of that, how do you enforce it, what does it mean for visitors to our state, what does it mean for tourists coming internationally,” he said.
“I think all of those things would need to be considered.
“I’m happy to talk to (Cancer Council Queensland) about that and consider that in the future, but I’d like to see how our laws work first and see what the impacts of that is.”
Mr Dick said in the past 15 years the rate of adults smoking daily had dropped from 30 per cent of adults to 12 per cent but he wanted this to reduce further.
“I’d like to see that below 10 per cent, I’d like to get us into single digits and we’ll continue to work with the Cancer Council to reduce the rate of smoking and the very serious health impacts that smoking causes to Queenslanders each and every day across our state,” he said.