Next Victoria Ban Is on Flavored Cigarettes

In Victoria will be banned flavored cigarettes in a few weeks under new laws to prevent and combat smoking. Health Minister Daniel Andrews has announced this ban on World No Tobacco Day. It was shown that fewer teenagers are smoking. Territory and state governments agreed to ban flavored cigarette two years ago.

An example of flavored cigarettes can be Glamour Super Slims Azure cigarettes or Doina Menthol cigarettes.

Last year Legislation was passed in Victoria to support the ban. Mr. Andrews told that that ban would come into effect in the next three to four weeks. It will follow New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia. In these countries they are already prohibited.

The minister said one in three teenage girls was more likely to be “tricked” into smoking while flavored cigarettes were on the market, in what he described as a cynical marketing ploy. The bans are fundamentally and absolutely aimed to younger people. It is all about people hooked at a younger age. According to the new laws persons who will be caught selling flavored cigarettes will be fined about $500 and companies up to $7000. It is also illegal to import flavored cigarette brands into Victoria.

The same tobacco ban coincides with a new study on quitting on teenage smoking. In 2008 was held a survey with more than 4000 students across 67 Victorian schools, it showed the changes among teenagers who are smoking since 2002. Almost six percent of 12-15 year-olds and 14 per cent of 16-17 year-olds surveyed said that they are smoking.

Fiona Sharkie is the Quit executive director and she said that equated to about 29,000 fewer teenagers lighting up since 2002. She also affirmed that the results of the survey show that show that smoking rates among young people aged 12 to 17 have never been lower. There are 29,000 fewer smokers and 15,000 fewer deaths from tobacco. They consider that one out of every two smokers will die from a smoking related disease.

Ms Sharkie attributed those results graphic anti-smoking campaigns and to teenage smoking rates, public smoking restrictions, warnings on packaging and price increases. She said that flavored cigarettes had fewer sales than regular smokes and it was targeted a small, impressionable market.

They have a design that is attracting customers, make smoke easier, it tastes better, make it more palatable and it’s less harsh on the throat.

“It’s a very deceptive and purposeful move by the tobacco industry to recruit smokers because they know that when you become a smoker as a teenager, you’re generally a smoker for life.”