ASH Australia OTCC Auckland September 2007 A media-advocacy strategy

ASH Australia Stafford Sanders, Communications Officer Presenter / co-author Anne Jones, Chief Executive Co-author Eddie Hertz, Sociology student, Macquarie University Research and production assistance

Outline Myth vs reality The problem Changes needed Campaign strategy Supporters Usefulness of the strategy Results / progress Conclusions / lessons

Myth vs reality View of some politicians / advisers: Smoking “informed adult lifestyle choice” We’ve gone far enough, any further is “nanny state” Reality: Smoking normally arises from childhood recruitment & addiction Tobacco industry targets children as “new smokers” Too many children smoke Too many children exposed to secondhand smoke

The problem Continued high (but falling) child smoking rates 140,000 + (9%) of Australian students smoke at least weekly (NDS 2005) Easy availability of tobacco to children - 23% get it from shops - 35,000+ dealerships Retail display predisposes children to smoke – - they see it as more normal, accessible ( Wakefield et al 2006) Child staff still selling - potential impact on both child seller and customer Children at risk from SHS in cars ( Rees et al 2006)

Supermarket, newsagent, convenience store: just three of 35,000 tobacco dealerships Pics: ASH, Smokefree Tasmania Children in the sights of tobacco promotion

Changes needed Tobacco products out of sight in all retail outlets No staff under 18 to sell tobacco Full implementation of licensing scheme for tobacco retailers - fees to fund seller education and compliance Cars carrying children to be smokefree by law

Tobacco out of sight: How it CAN be done

Campaign strategy Advocacy kit - factsheets, research, photos; 6min DVD - resources adaptable by state groups Countering shonky retailer arguments - displays “ not advertising ”, don ’ t encourage smoking - use of good research; advertising expert input Endorsements and actions - from health, children’s, church, community orgs Political advocacy with state/territory MPs - in alliance with state-based health groups, churches Industry action - retailer meetings, shareholder activism Media - releases, interviews; help with local orgs’ media Strategic use of research Webpage – action s to supermarket execs

Supporters gathered (so far) ASH Australia; Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia; Association for the Welfare of Child Health; Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science; Australian Childhood Foundation; Australian Council of Social Service; Australian Council of State School Organisations; Australian Council on Smoking and Health; Australian Education Union; Australian Foster Care Association; Australian General Practice Network; Australian Lions Drug Awareness Foundation; Australian National Council on Drugs; Australian Parents’ Council; Australian Youth Affairs Coalition; Children’s Cancer Institute Australia; Cystic Fibrosis Australia; Early Childhood Australia; Murdoch Children’s Research Institute; National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect; National Asthma Council Australia; Heart Foundation; Public Affairs Commission of the Anglican Church of Australia; Public Health Association of Australia; Royal Australasian College of Physicians; Royal Australian College of General Practitioners; Rural Doctors Association of Australia; Save the Children Australia; SIDS and Kids; Smarter than Smoking; Telethon Institute for Child Health Research; Australian Lung Foundation; Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (33 national organisations) + state endorsements (AMA, Cancer Councils, Tas churches)

Usefulness of strategy ASH resources used or adapted in various forms by state-based health groups. Their feedback (SA, Qld, Tas, WA): ASH resources & advocacy “helpful”, “significant,” “a useful adjunct to local efforts”

Results / progress Retail display - No fully out-of-sight policy achieved anywhere in Aust - Qld, SA, Tas (before parl ’ t): limited to 1 sq. m - Qld, NSW: under review Child staff - No ban yet on underage sellers; but - Coles, Woolworths ’ policy is now that no under-18 staff are to sell tobacco Licensing - SA, Tas, ACT have licensing but ? full implementation Smokefree cars - SA: in effect from 31/5/07 - Tas: before parliament - Qld, ACT, NSW: considering

Conclusions / lessons Incremental impact Better on smokefree cars issue - where no powerful lobby against it Limited success on out-of-sight policy, and underage selling - because of strong retailers ’ lobby against Important to counter retailers and build support before reviews - Denormalisation strategies