There is strong evidence that a sustained, multi-sectoral approach is necessary to reduce the burden of tobacco-related illness in Australia. Involvement from all levels and sectors of government, along with non-government, community and health organisations is central to effective and comprehensive tobacco control. Table 1 summarises the evidence-based policy priorities aimed to continue to decrease the tobacco-related cancer burden in Australia. The evidence to support these recommendations is contained in the Effective interventions section of this chapter.
Table 1. Strategy for reducing cancer burden due to tobacco use
| Continue to reduce the affordability of tobacco products | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Policy priority/action | Agency | Estimated cost | Expected benefit | Comments |
| Continued, staged increases in tobacco excise and customs duty | Australian Government | See Effective interventions | ||
| Minimise strategies to undermine the effects of increases in duty e.g. specialing, discounting, value packs, and 'multi-buys' | Australian Government | See Effective interventions | ||
| Ensure legal sanctions and enforcement strategies are in place to reduce likelihood of future growth in illicit trade | Australian Government | See Effective interventions | ||
| Strengthen mass media campaigns | ||||
| Policy priority/action | Agency | Estimated cost | Expected benefit | Comments |
| Fund mass media campaigns at appropriate reach and frequency to impact quit attempts and smoking prevalence | Australian Government, state and territory governments, NGOs | Savings from averted health care costs exceed campaign costs | See Effective interventions | Non-continuation of tobacco mass media funding from July 2012 |
| Maximise effectiveness through coordination with other control strategies and other mass media campaigns | Australian Government, state and territory governments, NGOs | See Effective interventions | ||
| Eliminate remaining advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products | ||||
| Policy priority/action | Agency | Estimated cost | Expected benefit | Comments |
| Standardise state requirements regarding display of tobacco products to eliminate exemptions | Australian Government, state and territory governments | See Effective interventions | ||
| Restrict internet advertising of tobacco products | Australian Government | See Effective interventions | ||
| Enforce tobacco companies to report regularly on expenditure on any form of promotion and marketing activity | Australian Government | See Effective interventions | ||
| Reduce exceptions to smoke-free environments | ||||
| Policy priority/action | Agency | Estimated cost | Expected benefit | Comments |
| Reduce exceptions to smoke-free environment policies and standardise policy across states and territories | State and Territory Governments | See Effective interventions | ||
| Strengthen efforts to reduce smoking in disadvantaged populations | ||||
| Policy priority/action | Agency | Estimated cost | Expected benefit | Comments |
| Supplement mainstream tobacco control programs with evidence-based targeted interventions for high-risk groups | Federal and State governments, Australian National Preventive Health Agency | See Effective interventions | ||
| Build partnerships between organisations with tobacco control expertise and community/health groups working with disadvantaged populations | Governments, NGOs, health and community groups | See Effective interventions | ||
| Target smoking in Indigenous communities to reduce the health gap due to tobacco-related illness | Australian Government, state and territory governments, Indigenous health and community groups | See Effective interventions | Closing the Gap funding expires mid-2013 | |
| Regulate the contents, product disclosure and supply of tobacco products | ||||
| Policy priority/action | Agency | Estimated cost | Expected benefit | Comments |
| Enforce plain packaging laws | Australian Government | See Effective interventions | ||
| Enforce laws prohibiting supply of tobacco products to minors | Australian Government | See Effective interventions | ||
| Provide access to evidence based cessation services | ||||
| Policy priority/action | Agency | Estimated cost | Expected benefit | Comments |
| Improve access for disadvantaged and high-risk groups, and pregnant women | See Effective interventions | |||
| Research and evaluation | ||||
| Policy priority/action | Agency | Estimated cost | Expected benefit | Comments |
| Evaluate and monitor current initiatives for effectiveness | NHMRC, cancer research organisations | See Effective interventions | ||
| Commission research to develop effective targeted tobacco control strategies for disadvantaged populations | NHMRC, cancer research organisations | Modest, funded on a project by project basis | See Effective interventions | |
| Commission research to inform regulatory policies on tobacco products | NHMRC, cancer research organisations | Modest, funded on a project by project basis | See Effective interventions | |
| Disseminate evidence to international tobacco control community | See Effective interventions | |||


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