Media Statements - State Government helps WA smokers butt out

29/07/05

Tough new measures on smoking introduced by the State Government will help smokers butt out in Western Australia.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health Sue Ellery today welcomed a study that predicted smoking would be a thing of the past in WA by 2030.

Ms Ellery said the State Government’s crackdown on the sale of cigarettes to children and a total ban on smoking in pubs and clubs by July next year was an incentive for people to quit.

“All the research shows that smoking kills,” she said.

“Cigarettes account for about 19,000 deaths in Australia each year and about 1,500 of those deaths are in WA.”

Ms Ellery said that new laws before State Parliament would see people who sold cigarettes to children face fines of between $10,000 and $80,000.

Ms Ellery said the Tobacco Products Control Bill 2005 was designed to cut the rate of smoking in WA, reduce the availability of tobacco products to minors and further diminish the influences of tobacco advertising.

The main provisions of the Tobacco Products Control Bill 2005 will:

require retailers to check for ID when selling tobacco products;

require anyone who sells tobacco products to be licensed;

ban point of sale advertising and limit displays of cigarettes to one square metre;

restrict the sale of tobacco papers, pipes and other smoking implements to people over 18;

double the penalties for people caught selling cigarettes to children;

restrict cigarette vending machines to licensed premises only;

ban the advertising of price discounting on tobacco products; and

regulate the sale and promotion of herbal cigarettes and prohibiting the sale of confectionary and toys that resemble cigarettes.

Smoking has also been banned within five metres of a State Government building entrance and 10m of air-conditioning vents since January 1, 2005. This includes offices, hospitals, police stations and courts.

Minister's office: 9220 5000