< Back

Licence Tobacco Retailers & Stub Out Selling Smokes to Kids
November 1st 2004

NSW Democrat MLC, Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans, has called on the Carr government to introduce Tobacco Licensing legislation for retailers in N.S.W.

A survey released yesterday titled The health behaviours of secondary school students in NSW conducted by NSW Health and the NSW Cancer Council found while the number of young teens who attempt to buy cigarettes has declined, 37% of those who tried did said they have never been refused service and 35% had never been asked for proof of age.

“As smoking behaviours are well established before the end of teenage years, these figures show that many young people are still getting hooked on tobacco,” he said.

“While juvenile smoking rates have steadily decreased, the evidence suggests that kids can still purchase tobacco products from irresponsible retailers. NSW is spending $1 a head per year on Quit programs and U.S. research has shown that to achieve long-term cost-effectiveness we need to spend $14 a head per year. Tobacco licensing is should fund enforce of tobacco regulation!” he said.

“Tasmania, South Australia, The Northern Territory, and The A.C.T. have tobacco licensing regimes for retailers. All the proceeds go back into policing tobacco retailers with inspectors visiting premises to ensure compliance,” he said.

“In June 1999 the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy endorsed tobacco licensing as a best practise model for achieving retailer/wholesaler compliance with tobacco control legislation. So if Minister Iemma is serious about the war on juvenile smoking, I’m more than happy to talk to him about my draft legislation for tobacco licensing in NSW,” Dr Chesterfield-Evans concluded.