Another battle has been won against smoking with the passage through Federal Parliament of the plain packaging legislation but the battle will not end there, Australian Medical Association (WA) President Associate Professor David Mountain said today.
“The passing of this legislation is a significant step but there remains more to be done. We must not rest until smoking is history,” A/Prof Mountain said.
“In years to come we will look back with satisfaction at this latest step against the medical scourge of tobacco. I would like to thank all those MPs and Senators who have stood up against the political might of the tobacco industry and voted to support this legislation,” he said.
The new laws take effect from December 2012.
Federal AMA President Steve Hambleton said there is no doubt that Australia’s reputation as a world leader in public health initiatives that save lives and improve people’s health has been significantly enhanced with the Parliament giving the final tick to the Government’s pioneering tobacco plain packaging legislation. The new laws take effect from December 2012. Dr Hambleton said there is no doubt that other countries will follow Australia’s lead in taking on the big tobacco companies and bringing about tough reform that will save people’s lives. “Smoking kills people and smoking destroys people’s health,” Dr Hambleton said. “The AMA strongly supports Government action to stop people smoking and discouraging others, especially young people and children, from taking up the killer habit. “Introducing plain packaging is a significant achievement in public health and Health Minister Nicola Roxon is to be congratulated for never giving up on this very tough task. “This legislation will save lives. “The AMA urges the tobacco industry to accept the decision and desist from legal action or disruptive tactics designed to delay or stop the introduction of plain packaging in Australia.”