Casey hopes smokers quit habit

THE City of Casey is hoping to help smokers quit their bad habit this year.
Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease among Australians, killing an estimated 15,000 each year.
The City of Casey is supporting the Australian Government to help smokers quit as well as reduce the number of Australians taking up the habit.
City of Casey mayor Cr Amanda Stapledon said Australia was the first country in the world requiring all tobacco products to be sold in plain packaging to reduce their appeal to consumers.
“Council, through its delegated power under the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011,
is reminding businesses including milk bars, service stations, supermarkets, hotels and newsagencies that if they buy, sell, offer for sale or otherwise supply tobacco products that do not comply with the plain packaging or new health warning requirements, significant penalties apply,” Cr Stapledon said.
From 1 December 2012, all tobacco products sold, offered for sale or otherwise supplied in Australia must be in plain packaging and be labelled with new and
expanded health warnings.
Along with the implementation of plain packaging, new health warning requirements took effect from 1 December 2012.
Health warnings on cigarette packaging now take up 75 per cent of the front surface of most tobacco packaging.
The warning statement and graphic picture takes up 90 per cent of the back surface.
The plain packaging and new health warning requirements apply to all tobacco products.
For more information on tobacco plain packaging and new health warnings, visit www.yourhealth.gov.au or phone the tobacco plain packaging information line on 1800 736 354.