Legislation

Since the 1950s medical researchers have established strong links between smoking and various diseases. In the 1970s Australian governments began to respond by regulating the advertising, sale and use of tobacco products.

Legislation forms an important and cost effective component of tobacco control. It complements activities such as education campaigns and cessation programs and helps challenge the notion that smoking is a social norm.

Tobacco control legislation in NSW includes:

• The Smoke-free Environment Act 2000, The Smoke-free Environment Regulation 2000, The Smoke-free Environment Amendment Act 2004, Smoke-free Environment Amendment Regulation 2005, and Smoke-free Environment Amendment (Enclosed Places) Regulation 2006, which ban smoking in enclosed public places.
• Tobacco advertising provisions under the Public Health Act 1991 and the Public Health (Tobacco) Regulation 1999, which prohibit overt advertising of tobacco products as well as regulating how tobacco products can be displayed at point of sale.
• Sales to minors provisions under the Public Health Act 1991, which prohibits the sale of tobacco and non-tobacco products to anyone under the age of 18 years.

The Public Health Act 1991 also prohibits tobacco related promotions, sponsorships, competitions and offers of free samples of tobacco. The Act also bans the sale of single cigarettes as well as the sale of loose tobacco and tobacco products in packets that do not display health warnings.
This legislation helps:

• Reduce community exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in public places defined as enclosed
• Reduce the marketing, advertising and promotion of tobacco products and tobacco brands
• Discourages the uptake of smoking by young people. Environmental Health Officers in Public Health Units enforce and monitor compliance with tobacco legislation by investigating complaints and conducting inspections.

 For more information about what is currently happening in NSW go to The Cancer Council website: http://www.cancercouncil.com.au/editorial.asp?pageid=2267

Tobacco timeline