SmokeFree Tasmania
Media Statement 4 October 2021
COVID19, smoking and vaping
Premier Peter Gutwein has acknowledged that COVID19 will enter Tasmania when our state border reopens. We have had a recent warning with an individual entering the state with COVID. We must do everything feasible to protect Tasmanians from the ill effects of the pandemic.
Recent research by Dr Clift and colleagues at the University of Oxford in the UK supports a causal effect of smoking on risk of severe COVID-19. This large study showed that smokers have almost double the risk of hospitalisation than non-smokers. It also showed that smoking more than doubled the risk of COVID19-associated death with that risk increasing with the frequency of smoking.
The Respiratory Translational Research Group of Dr Sohal and colleagues have recently conducted research into vape liquids found here in Tasmania. They tested vape liquids bought in Launceston and found that they are highly toxic. The chemicals found in vape liquids can lead to microbial infections, inflammation, cellular stress, scarring of the lungs and cancer in the long term.
Dr. Sohal’s group also found vaping enhances the expression of the receptor used by COVID-19 virus to enable access to the lungs, according to their recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. Similar changes have been reported by the group with smokers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), where smoking creates a highly conductive environment for the COVID-19 virus to thrive, study was published earlier this year in the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology.
What many vapers may not realise is that any combination of fluid can be placed into these devices, whether stipulated by the manufacturers or not, meaning they are likely inhaling a long list of harmful chemicals. This is most concerning in young vape users who, by naively experimenting with a combination of inhalants, could end up with ongoing respiratory distress and long-term lung damage.
“The lung is designed for air exchange, to breathe air in and out. Vaping is not a natural thing and is not what lungs are made for”, Dr Sohal said.
The 70,500 smokers in Tasmania should be a priority for vaccination.
“If ever there was a time to consider quitting smoking it is right now before the Tasmanian border opens. We strongly recommend if you are a smoker or a vaper, to have a COVID vaccination” Prof Crocombe said.
Whilst there is no evidence that vaping will reduce smoking rates, new provisions came into effect on 1 October which allow doctors to prescribe vape liquids to be imported for patients who want to quit smoking. At the same it is very disturbing that product related to tobacco industry is now part of the Australian medical prescription.
With the highest smoking rates in Australia, we need to ensure that our hospitals are not overwhelmed by smokers becoming critically ill with Covid19
People who want to quit smoking or vaping should contact their doctor, pharmacist, or Quit Tasmania.
Prof Len Crocombe, Professor or Rural Oral Health, La Trobe University
Dr Sukhwinder Sohal, Head Respiratory Translational Research Group, University of Tasmania and Board Director, The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ).
Dr Kathryn Barnsley, Adjunct Researcher, Tasmanian School of Medicine, University of Tasmania
Dr Nick Towle, Clinical Medical Education Advisor, Rural Clinical School, University of Tasmania
Dr Silvana Bettiol, Senior Lecturer, Tasmanian School of Medicine, University of Tasmania
Dr Harley Stanton, SmokeFree Tasmania
Final Article 4 Oct 2021 CovidSmokingVaping
SmokeFree Tasmania
Media Statement 27 March 2015
Tasmania praised again for tobacco reforms
Recognising that we stand at the crossroads of the tobacco epidemic with the future in our hands, the latest Editorial from the prestigious international Journal the Lancet Respiratory published on March 26 has praised Tasmania for its efforts:
“Some courageous governments are already leading the way. The Tasmanian upper house is currently considering an amendment to the Public Health Act 1997 to make it illegal for retailers to sell, supply, or gift tobacco products to anyone born after Jan 1, 2000—the Public Health Amendment (Tobacco-Free Generation) Bill 2014. If successful, the amendment could be made law as early as 2018, allowing Tasmania to create the first tobacco-free generation.”
The Editorial goes on to urge a close monitoring with culpability recognised of tobacco industry misconduct:
“On March 13, The Lancet published a three-paper Series calling for a tobacco-free world by 2040—the aim is to see less than 5% of adults using tobacco products by that year. To this end, it is imperative that an ambitious tobacco reduction target is included in WHO’s post-2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals. To succeed, there must be close monitoring of the tobacco industry’s behaviour, with culpability for misconduct, and governments should emulate Tasmania’s courage and strive to phase out the sale of tobacco products completely.”
“SmokeFree Tasmania applauds all those politicians and organisations who are supporting the Public Health Amendment (Tobacco-free Generation) Bill 2014”. said former WHO tobacco expert, and Past President, Asia Pacific Association for the Control of Tobacco, now living in Tasmania, Dr. Harley Stanton.
The full text: https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lanres/PIIS2213-2600(15)00114-9.pdf
ENDS
Contact: Dr. Harley Stanton 0418 344 703 or Prof. Haydn Walters 0419 770 086
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Media statement
4 FEB 2015
Bouquets and brickbats to the Liberal Party
SmokeFree Tasmania today congratulated the Tasmanian Liberal Party and Prisons management for banning smoking in the last remaining areas in Risdon prison. However, SmokeFree was concerned about recent news that the Liberal Party accepted $11,000 from tobacco company Philip Morris in 2013.
“We strongly applaud Minister Dr. Vanessa Goodwin and the prison management for removing the toxic tobacco smoke from the prison, in a planned and sensible program, that ensured a safe transition.” SmokeFree Tasmania Convenor Kathryn Barnsley said.
“Rene Hidding deserves a special mention for his tenacity in pursuing this issue since 2006, when he first announced the Liberal Party commitment to banning smoking in prison”. Ms. Barnsley said.
Former Corrections Minister in the Labor/Green government, Nick McKim announced in June 2013 that the remaining areas of the prison would go smoke free in February 2015. The prison hospital, remand centres, the women’s prison have all been smoke free for some time.
“However, we were alarmed to learn that the Tasmanian Liberal Party received a donation in June 2013 of $11,000 from big tobacco.
This is the equivalent of accepting only $20.00 for every Tasmanian killed by the tobacco industry last year. An outrageous price for a life. “Ms. Barnsley said.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) released figures this week on donations from the tobacco industry and other donors. Philip Morris made substantial donations to the Liberal Democratic Party $35,000, which only has one member; the Liberal Party $70,000 and the National Party $23,000.
We understand that the donation to the Tasmanian Liberal Party was made shortly before Tony Abbott announced that the Liberals would no longer take tobacco “blood” money.
However, at a time when we need strong government action to reduce unacceptably high smoking rates in Tasmania, we need to have confidence that the judgement of our politicians is not clouded through financial sponsorship from tobacco companies” Ms. Barnsley said.
ENDS