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Smoking causes more Australians to die each year than the combined total deaths from car accidents, drowning, heroin overdose, falls and suicide. Smokers have increased risk of many types of cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, ulcers, the common cold, influenza, asthma and emphysema. Approximately one in five NSW adults smoke.
Environmental tobacco smoke has a significant impact on the health of non-smokers. Children exposed to it suffer more infections, asthma attacks, croup and wheezing while babies are at greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
If you smoke and would like to quit, call the Quitline on 137 848 or see Quit online at www.quitnow.info.au
Over the next five years our Tobacco and Health Team aims to reduce tobacco-related harm in south eastern Sydney and the Illawarra by:
- reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in the workplace and community.
- improving the ability of health professionals, community based, welfare and ethnic-specific services to be able to help smokers quit.
- working with a vulnerable community (eg. Aboriginal people, inmates of correctional facilities, pregnant women) to reduce smoking rates and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
- working with local government to reduce smoking in public places.
- supporting state and commonwealth campaigns.
Examples of our work towards these aims include:
Chinese-Australian project
The Chinese-Australian community of Hurstville have been partners in this on-going project to reduce children’s exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. The project has already seen the development of Chinese language resources, media campaigns, advocacy for Chinese language QUIT services, support to the Chinese Cancer Line through the Cancer Council NSW, provision of information about current smoke free legislation to restaurants and training for health and childcare services. The project is currently making a concentrated effort to increase quit attempts among Chinese-speaking males by supporting cessation counselling by Chinese-speaking GPs. This will benefit both the smoker and his family.
Our Tobacco and Health Team has joined forces with other metropolitan Sydney Health Promotion Services and The Cancer Council NSW to form 'CATHN' (Chinese Australian Tobacco and Health Network). CATHN shares the resources developed and widens the reach of the project.
Campaigns
We promote the annual World No Tobacco Day (May 31). In 2006 we issued many media releases, gave radio and TV interviews and paid for advertising that promoted the Quitline and informed people about the dangers of so-called 'light' and 'mild' cigarettes and the growing use of 'chop-chop' (illegal tobacco grown in bulk).
More information
For more information on the Health Promotion Service tobacco and health projects, please contact us.
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