Politicians told to get tough and eliminate smoking from Victoria by 2025 by leading health groups

SMOKING would be banned from outdoor drinking areas, and tobacco outlets dramatically culled under an aggressive push to stamp out the habit in Victoria within seven years.

SMOKING would be banned from outdoor drinking areas, and tobacco outlets drastically culled under an aggressive push to stamp out the habit from Victoria by 2025.

Amid claims Victorian politicians have gone soft on smoking over the past decade, a consortium of 25 health groups is calling for an escalation in anti-tobacco measures.

As well as further legislation to restrict where Victorians can smoke or buy tobacco, the push to be launched on Thursday by Quit Victoria and groups, including the AMA, Cancer Council, Health Foundation and leading universities, also calls for doctors’ appointments and medical consultations to include evidence-based anti-smoking advice.

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Quit Victoria director Dr Sarah White.

About 750,000 Victorians, or 13.7 per cent, smoke daily. Based on current quitting trends, that rate is on track to drop to 10 per cent by 2025. But if politicians can be re-engaged in a more aggressive anti-­tobacco fight, Quit Victoria ­director Sarah White said smoking could be almost stamped out over the next eight years.

“We think it is actually possible to get down to 5 per cent daily smoking by 2025 — that would virtually eliminate daily smoking,” Dr White said.

“What we have seen from our politicians is tobacco control fatigue; we have had the lowest spending on anti-smoking campaigns.

“You can basically buy ­tobacco in more places than you can buy milk and bread. There are the equivalent of 44 tobacco retailers for every McDonalds in Australia.”

While outright bans on smoking in public places such as footpaths would go too far, Dr White said legislation was needed to prohibit lighting up in outdoor drinking areas.

Health groups want smoking to be banned from outdoor drinking areas. Generic picture

She said smoking in high-rise complexes where apartments shared ventilation systems also needed to be examined, as did building sites.

But with smoking rates far higher in low-socio economic areas, Aboriginal communities, and those with mental illnesses, Dr White said tobacco was increasing the state’s ­social and financial inequities.

Ahead of this year’s state election, the consortium’s Target 2025 — Countdown to a ­tobacco-free Victoria statement calls for renewed education campaigns for young people, an end to advertising and promotion, closing loopholes in smoke-free legislation and reducing the availability and visibility of products.

“There are groups within society that need that extra support by getting even tougher than what we have been doing,” Dr White said.

“A conversation from a health professional is a key trigger to get people to try and quit.

“If you go in for surgery for example, you should be asked about smoking before you get in there. Smoking reduces wound healing, reduced the effect of pain management medication, increases infection rates.”

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