Tobacco in Australia What needs to be done

The problem Tobacco: our No. 1 preventable health, drug problem  Kills around 15,000 Australians a year  Biggest preventable cause of cancer and heart disease, our two leading causes of early death  Linked with all seven diseases causing most deaths  Linked with all seven diseases causing most deaths  Responsible for over $31b pa in costs to the Australian economy  Responsible for over $31b pa in costs to the Australian economy  Responsible for 56% of total drug abuse costs – more than alcohol and all other drugs combined  Responsible for 56% of total drug abuse costs – more than alcohol and all other drugs combined  Causes over $15b in workplace costs – twice as much as alcohol and all other drugs combined  Over 750,000 hospital bed days a year - 8% by children under 15  Over $600m annual hospital costs  Around 18% of Australians 14yrs+ still smoke – around 3 million  Indigenous smoking rate much higher – around 50% !

Tobacco: our No.1 preventable killer Australia, 2003: Tobacco kills more than all homicides, alcohol and all other drugs, road and all other accidents, and all infectious/contagious diseases… COMBINED !

Children at risk  36 Australian babies and children under 15 die each year (one every 10 days) from involuntary (in utero & secondhand) tobacco smoke  36 Australian babies and children under 15 die each year (one every 10 days) from involuntary (in utero & secondhand) tobacco smoke  Over 60,000 hospital bed days a year occupied by children as a result of tobacco exposure  Over 60,000 hospital bed days a year occupied by children as a result of tobacco exposure  Tobacco smoke now the leading preventable cause of SIDS deaths  Tobacco smoke now the leading preventable cause of SIDS deaths  Over 140,000 (9% of) Australian schoolchildren smoke at least weekly – including 18% of 17-year-olds  Children have ready access to cigarettes: 23% of schoolchildren aged (and 29% of 16-year-olds) are supplied illegally by shops  Children have ready access to cigarettes: 23% of schoolchildren aged (and 29% of 16-year-olds) are supplied illegally by shops  80-90% of smokers are under 18 when they start – half are <16  80-90% of smokers are under 18 when they start – half are <16

Others especially at risk  Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people  Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities with high smoking rates  Adolescents and young adults – especially pregnant women and those intending to start families, and their partners  Mental health clients and staff  Inmates, detainees and staff in correctional settings  Patients/clients and staff in some health care settings  Staff/patrons in hospitality/gaming/dining venues and other smoky workplaces

The economic cost Smoking costs Australia a staggering $31bn a year – conservative estimate of real social cost, mostly to health system and business. This dwarfs the $6.7b contributed by tobacco excise. And who pays?  Business and Governments – in health care costs; in lost productivity – early retirement, sickness absence etc  Smokers – half of all long-term smokers will eventually die from tobacco – losing an average of 10 years life; half of these will die during productive middle age, losing years of life  Smokers – half of all long-term smokers will eventually die from tobacco – losing an average of 10 years life; half of these will die during productive middle age, losing years of life  Non-smokers including: - Babies born to smoking mothers have lower birth weights and increased risk of SIDS and respiratory diseases - Workers and patrons - substantial costs incurred where people are exposed to tobacco smoke in workplaces and public places  Non-smokers including: - Babies born to smoking mothers have lower birth weights and increased risk of SIDS and respiratory diseases - Workers and patrons - substantial costs incurred where people are exposed to tobacco smoke in workplaces and public places

What should we do?  Raise tobacco prices – especially by increasing taxes  Increase government investment in mass media quit campaigns  Extend smokefree public places/workplaces laws  End all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship  Address special needs of disadvantaged populations to maximise quitting

A global epidemic (Figures are for the 20 th century)