Underage smoking 'should be illegal' | National News | Breaking National News in Australia
Underage smoking 'should be illegal'
Poll
Should underage smoking be illegal?
UNDERAGE smoking should be an offence like underage drinking, says the peak body for corner stores and petrol stations.
The Australasian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) is calling on government to make it illegal for under 18s to smoke, handing police the power to issue fines or court attendance notices.
AACS executive director Sheryle Moon, says existing youth anti-smoking measures place a "disproportionate burden on retailers".
"Where is the deterrent to make our kids stub out?" Ms Moon said in a statement.
"We believe it is high time that the responsibility for youth smoking is shared and our young people are given a reason to think twice before sparking up.
"We agree convenience stores have a key role to play in limiting minors access to cigarettes, but we can only do so much."
It is now illegal for retailers to sell tobacco to minors and heavy fines apply if they do, but the law contains no means to penalise young people for buying or smoking cigarettes.
In contrast, if a child is sold or given alcohol on licensed premises then both the child and the licensee have committed an offence and can be punished under the nation's liquor laws.
"We already have a zero tolerance policy for unaccompanied minors possessing alcohol, so why can't we do the same with youth smoking?" Ms Moon asked.
"AACS is calling on our law makers to introduce prosecution and penalties for those who are caught in the act to show that they are serious about cutting youth smoking rates."
Ms Moon said the Rudd government had set an ambitious target for Australia to be the healthiest country in the world by 2020, with decreasing the number of teenagers who smoke as a top priority.
While education and awareness campaigns for young people were essential, she said until there was a real disincentive for kids to light up then "we aren't doing enough to reduce youth smoking".
About 70,000 young people start smoking in Australia every year - that's more than 190 a day.
Stafford Sanders, who co-ordinates a coalition of pressure groups called Protecting Children from Tobacco, said there was no evidence that making underage smoking illegal would reduce its incidence.
"It may even make it more glamorous, and more attractive, to some teenagers if they have a rebellious leaning," Mr Sanders told AAP.
"This is a bit of a distraction by the Australian Association of Convenience Stores to take the spotlight off retailers breaking the law."
Mr Sanders said convenience stores and service stations were some of the "worst offenders" when it came to the places where underage teens and children could obtain cigarettes.
The AACS could otherwise show its concern about these children by supporting calls to have tobacco products removed from view in stores, he said, or closing the loophole that allowed workers under 18 to sell cigarettes.
"It's the responsibility of adults in our society to protect children, and not to sell them deadly and addictive drugs."
More Stories
Latest stories from our news sites
-
Today
Mostly sunny
8°C/19°C -
Tomorrow
Mostly sunny
5°C/14°C
Most Popular
- Tradies' rescue stranded koala
- Vapour trail sparks wild rumours
- Man pleads guilty to drug charges
- Warwick helps family who lost home
- Women dyeing to look like Julia
- Average Angus price up 30 per cent
- Rotary raises money for smartboard
- Chefs slam MasterChef culture
- Church extension caters for demand
- Rate bill survival guide
Special offers
Leo
24 July - 23 August
Dreams, wishes, and fantasies about love are strong now, in fact, almost fanatical and you could be infatuated with someone you meet. Your imagination is vigorous... More Horoscopes »
Select your zodiac sign
Aries | Taurus | Gemini | Cancer | Leo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | Sagittarius | Capricorn | Aquarius | Pisces
Recent Comments
Add a Comment »
Posted by SomeOneSmarter from Buderim, Queensland
10 November 2009 5:49 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
SMOKING should be illegal, full stop.
It's the best example of selfishness yet.
Disgusting ferals who don't for one second think of others, I saw a father smoke 3 cigarette inside his car while his three small children inhaled cancer in the back seat, what a demonstration of love. In case you don't realise it is illegal to smoke in side a vehicle with children, and therefore it should be illegal to smoke around children at all.
Posted by Predictor from Moore Park, Queensland
10 November 2009 8:50 p.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
It is the same as Drugs...!
Those youngsters will secretly smoke the same way as they use Drugs or drinking Alcohol.
We got lots of drug runners don't we..???
So what stops drug, alcohol and smoke runners making big commissions on delivery..???
Answer " NOTHING" It only moves one to two levels higher to make big dollars whilst something made illegal..!!
'Should be illegal' is a waste of man-hours, too much hot air to propose and implement a LAW that is only become a writing on toilet paper...!
Posted by T_Bubble1 from Maroochydore, Queensland
11 November 2009 6:06 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
Sure make it Illegal but don't stand around scratching you head when it doesn't act as the deterrant that you think it will. Making alcohol and drugs illegal hasn't stopped under 18's from using them. I don't see that this would be any different.
Posted by TSMBBS from Kincora, Queensland
11 November 2009 7:21 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
Ban them outright, the Governement spends more on health costs then they get in tax revenue. So why are smokes still legal, ask the tobacco loby.
Posted by SomeOneSmarter from Buderim, Queensland
11 November 2009 8:01 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
TSMBBS:
you said "he Government spends more on health costs then they get in tax revenue"
Actually you are incorrect.
I can't remember the figures exactly off hand but I was involved in assessment research (2007) that disclosed that the federal government only spent a small percent far less than 40% of the total tax revenue recovered from taxes on cigerettes on smoking related health care. The rest, most likely contributes to their inflated overpaid salaries.
For a current example:
A National Preventative Health Taskforce was established in April 2008 for a 3 year period. It has compiled research on national health issues, focusing primarily on smoking (tobacco), alcohol and obesity, which together cause approximately 32 per cent of Australia’s illness.
This in turn translates into approximately $6 billion per year of health costs, which would crudely average out at 2 billion for tobacco.
Some facts:
In 1993, $24 million was spent on tobacco each day in NSW alone and the Government reaped $633 million in State License
Over three million people (around 18% of Australians aged 14 years and over) smoke, with almost 2.9 million people smoking on a daily basis.
Smoking rates are rapidly declining among the affluent, but continue to be substantially higher among those with lower levels of education and those living in more disadvantaged areas. Well it’s hard to be affluent if you are spending an average of $70/week on cancer sticks. The fact that people would think spending this amount a week to decrease their health must correlate with stupidity.
Smoking resulted in an estimated 15,511 deaths in 2003 and cost the Australian community approximately $12 billion is tangible net costs in 2004-05.
Tobacco use is currently the single-biggest preventable cause of death and disease in Australia.
Posted by dunno from Mount Pleasant, Queensland
11 November 2009 10:01 a.m. | Suggest removal » | Post reply »
we have all gone soft, political correctness and all, cant even boot the kids beckside any more, how we going to stop em smoking? take their lollies away?
just dunno, do u ?