Australia's tobacco policy praised by WHO, more than 20 countries have followed its example

Australia's tobacco policy praised by WHO, more than 20 countries have followed its example

Australia was praised by the World Health Organization on the eve of World No Tobacco Day, saying that Australia leads the global fight against e-cigarettes, and more than 20 countries have followed Australia's tobacco packaging regulations.

According to MirageNews on May 30, Australia was praised by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the eve of World No Tobacco Day for its leadership in the fight against smoking and e-cigarettes.

WHO Regional Director Saia Ma'u Piukala said: "Australia's leadership in tobacco control is commendable and inspiring."

During the World Health Conference in Geneva, Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler hosted a high-level international meeting on e-cigarettes and e-liquids with health leaders and officials attending the conference. This milestone meeting was in preparation for World No Tobacco Day, and this year's theme is to protect children from interference from the tobacco industry.

The meeting highlighted WHO's call for member states to take urgent and tough action on e-cigarettes, as well as the release of a new WHO report, "Seducing the Next Generation: How the Tobacco Industry Captures Young Consumers." To strengthen the global response, Minister Butler hosted a roundtable discussion with other health ministers and senior foreign health officials to discuss common challenges and successes faced by countries in addressing the harms of e-cigarettes.

Australia is joining a growing number of governments around the world in taking steps to protect young people by banning or restricting the broad supply, availability and advertising of e-cigarettes. The Albanese Government's world-leading e-cigarette legislation has captured global attention. These laws will protect children, young people and all Australians from the harms of e-cigarettes by regulating e-cigarettes as pharmacological products and prohibiting their sale outside pharmacies, blocking access to marketing and advertising, and making the commercial sale, supply and manufacture of non-regulated e-cigarettes a criminal offence.

The legislation is being considered by the Senate and is expected to come into force on 1 July 2024. In conjunction with the introduction of world-leading e-cigarette reforms, the Albanese Labor Government's comprehensive new tobacco regulations come into force on 1 April 2024 and contain new measures to ensure tobacco use continues to decline.

These laws build on Australia's world-leading plain tobacco packaging regulations, which were introduced by the Labor Government in 2012. Since then, more than 20 countries have followed Australia's lead and introduced their own plain packaging regulations.

"Not only are state and territory governments, medical summit bodies and the World Health Organization supporting stronger controls on e-cigarettes, other governments are following Australia's lead and taking their own actions," Minister Butler said in a statement. "More than 20 countries have followed Australia's lead on tobacco packaging. This policy was introduced by Health Minister Nicola Roxon and the Labor government in the face of relentless tobacco industry attacks."

WHO Regional Director Piukara said: "Australia's leadership on tobacco control is both respectable and inspiring, as reflected in their continued efforts to reduce tobacco use. Their strengthened regulation of e-cigarettes is an important step forward in public health, highlighting their commitment to safeguarding progress in tobacco control and protecting children and future generations from harmful and addictive products."