Cancer Council applauds Parliament for landmark tobacco Bill

 May 7, 2009

Cancer Council Western Australia has congratulated the Legislative Assembly for passing the important Tobacco Products Control Amendment Bill, which will further protect West Australians from the harms of tobacco smoke.

The Bill is landmark legislation for Western Australia and will give WA the toughest anti-tobacco laws in the country.

“Once enacted, the legislation will make a significant contribution to further reductions in prevalence of smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke in Western Australia,” said Susan Stewart, acting Director of Cancer Council’s Tobacco Program.

The Cancer Council acknowledged the efforts if Independent MP Dr Janet Woollard who introduced the Bill and worked with all parties to see it through to this critical stage.

The new legislation provides a range of restrictions including a ban on smoking in cars carrying children, at playgrounds and between the flags on WA beaches.

Importantly, it will also see tobacco products stored out of sight in retail outlets.

“Getting cigarettes out of sight in retail outlets is a huge achievement given that retail displays are known to influence smoking uptake by young people and make impulse buys more difficult to avoid for would-be-quitters,” Ms Stewart said.

The Bill also makes many other public environments smoke-free, including alfresco dining areas.

Ms Stewart said, “Though we are yet to achieve 100 per cent smoke-free environments in the alfresco areas of pubs, the introduction of partially smoke-free alfresco areas in these venues is a step in the right direction.”

“Cancer Council WA looks forward to what it hopes to be the fast passage of this legislation through Parliament so that these laws can become a reality for Western Australia,” Ms Stewart said.