HE federal government has clarified the colour of its proposed plain packaging for cigarettes - at the request of olive growers.
"I need to publicly say to the olive growers that we don't think that their products are in any way connected with the very unattractive product of tobacco," federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon told reporters in western Sydney today.
"Even though the colour we are using is olive green ... I am now calling it drab green."
When the legislation was announced earlier this year, the government said the plain packaging would be olive green, but olive growers objected.
The colour rumpus is just one of the issues the government will be taking into consideration before enforcing plain packaging for tobacco products later this year.
"There is lots of things in the legislation that people have views about ... but ultimately the fight we face with the tobacco industry is they don't want to see this measure be successful," she said.
"There is fundamentally no good news from the tobacco industry. They sell a product that kills people ... we want to make sure that the tobacco industry can't use a package to try to attract new smokers to their product."
British American Tobacco Australia is expected tomorrow to launch a national media campaign against the federal government's plain packaging proposal.
British American Tobacco is known to be the producer of Dunhill cigarettes.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Letter: More work to do against big tobacco companies
As a member of the Fond du Lac FACT group and a high school student, I am very excited about Wisconsin's Smoke-Free Air Law, but there is still more work to be done in fighting against corporate tobacco.
Tobacco companies are adding mint and fruit flavors to their cigars and smokeless tobacco products to "manipulate" me, and the rest of my friends, into using these "delicious" flavored tobacco products. Well, this isn't delicious, it's "manipulicious."
WEll known menthol or flavored cigarettes are: Kiss Superslims Menthol cigarettes, Esse Super Slims Menthol cigs and others.
Manipulicious is the name of our FACT group's latest campaign.
Our Fond du Lac FACT group is spreading the word that adding delicious flavors to tobacco products doesn't make them less harmful. These products still contain the same cancer-causing chemicals and are addictive.
Smokeless tobacco use by teens is rising.
FACT groups are an important part of tobacco prevention in youth, because we participate in FACT activisms in the community by exposing lies by big tobacco companies. We are fighting against companies that spend $274 million a year in Wisconsin on marketing products to kids!
We are spreading the word on how big tobacco companies target and manipulate teens into using their highly addictive and deadly products.
Namibia: Enforcement of Tobacco Act Coming
Existing agencies and institutions such as local municipalities and the police, enforcement officers and civil society will all play a vital role at every stage of the implementation and enforcement of smoke-free air laws, says Deputy Health Minister, Petrina Haingura.
Speaking at a training workshop on the enforcement of the Tobacco Products Control Act, Haingura said that according to the 2008 Namibia Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 31 per cent of students currently use tobacco products. According to the Deputy Health Minister, this evidence makes a compelling case for the implementation of the Tobacco Act.
The most known tobacco products are cigarettes and especiallu brands like Virginia SLims cigarettes, Marlboro Gold cigarettes or Camel Blue cigarettes.
The training workshop which started last Tuesday and ended two days later, aimed to provide the participants with knowledge on the Act and to train them on the enforcement tools which include inspections, penalties, litigation and reporting obligations.
Also present was Dr Magda Rubalo, World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative for Namibia, who said that legislation such as the Tobacco Act is based on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. This is the world's first public health treay under the WHO, and requires all member states to protect their populations from exposure to tobacco smoke.
Participants at the workshop represented various Government Ministries such as health, defense, labour, safety and security, information, and works and transport. Public institutions such as the Polytechnic of Namibia and the City of Windhoek, as well as a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were also represented.
emand for and supply of tobacco products, as well as protection from exposure to tobacco smoke. It further includes provisions for putting in place "evidence-based comprehensive tobacco control strategies at all levels of Government including prevention, protection and cessation initiatives," the Deputy Health Minister said.
Rubalo said that evidence has shown that the key to smoke free air is comprehensive legislation and effective enforcement.
Following the training workshop, an enforcement plan will be developed, which the Deputy Health Minister said, would bring to light issues which have not been researched, thought through, or on which there is no agreement.
The Tobacco Act also makes provision for the appointment of officers to carry out enforcement responsibilities. Haingura expressed her satisfaction with this, as she said that current institutions and agencies such as the police and local municipalities may not be sufficient in this regard.
The Deputy Health Minister noted that she was pleased by the presence of NGOs at the workshop, and indicated that civil society has a vital role to play at all stages in the implementation and enforcement of smoke-free air laws.
The workshop identified June 15 2011 as the deadline for a number activities relating to the Tobacco Act, namely, the endorsement of the regulation, as well as the launching of the Tobacco Products Control Committee and the appointment of its secretariat. Furthermore, the launch of the Tobacco Control Fund and the appointment of the Tobacco Control Inspectors have also been set for June 15.
Speaking at a training workshop on the enforcement of the Tobacco Products Control Act, Haingura said that according to the 2008 Namibia Global Youth Tobacco Survey, 31 per cent of students currently use tobacco products. According to the Deputy Health Minister, this evidence makes a compelling case for the implementation of the Tobacco Act.
The most known tobacco products are cigarettes and especiallu brands like Virginia SLims cigarettes, Marlboro Gold cigarettes or Camel Blue cigarettes.
The training workshop which started last Tuesday and ended two days later, aimed to provide the participants with knowledge on the Act and to train them on the enforcement tools which include inspections, penalties, litigation and reporting obligations.
Also present was Dr Magda Rubalo, World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative for Namibia, who said that legislation such as the Tobacco Act is based on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. This is the world's first public health treay under the WHO, and requires all member states to protect their populations from exposure to tobacco smoke.
Participants at the workshop represented various Government Ministries such as health, defense, labour, safety and security, information, and works and transport. Public institutions such as the Polytechnic of Namibia and the City of Windhoek, as well as a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were also represented.
emand for and supply of tobacco products, as well as protection from exposure to tobacco smoke. It further includes provisions for putting in place "evidence-based comprehensive tobacco control strategies at all levels of Government including prevention, protection and cessation initiatives," the Deputy Health Minister said.
Rubalo said that evidence has shown that the key to smoke free air is comprehensive legislation and effective enforcement.
Following the training workshop, an enforcement plan will be developed, which the Deputy Health Minister said, would bring to light issues which have not been researched, thought through, or on which there is no agreement.
The Tobacco Act also makes provision for the appointment of officers to carry out enforcement responsibilities. Haingura expressed her satisfaction with this, as she said that current institutions and agencies such as the police and local municipalities may not be sufficient in this regard.
The Deputy Health Minister noted that she was pleased by the presence of NGOs at the workshop, and indicated that civil society has a vital role to play at all stages in the implementation and enforcement of smoke-free air laws.
The workshop identified June 15 2011 as the deadline for a number activities relating to the Tobacco Act, namely, the endorsement of the regulation, as well as the launching of the Tobacco Products Control Committee and the appointment of its secretariat. Furthermore, the launch of the Tobacco Control Fund and the appointment of the Tobacco Control Inspectors have also been set for June 15.
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