THE Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) has written to the Coalition requesting its support the plain packaging for cigarettes legislation, given the dramatic impact it could have on cutting smoking rates in rural and regional Australia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
“When applied in conjunction with other anti-smoking measures that have already been introduced, the plain packaging of cigarettes has enormous potential to discourage more Australians from continuing to smoke or, importantly, to even start smoking” RDAA President, Dr Paul Mara, said.
“Rural doctors see daily the terrible impact that smoking has on the health and life expectancy of many of our patients.
“While we recognise there have been stated concerns around freedom, given the serious harm that smoking has on human health we cannot see any point in delaying further measures to discourage more Australians from smoking.
In addition to urging support for the plain packaging legislation, RDAA will be writing to all rural councils to highlight its concerns and seek proactive ways of reducing the incidence of smoking in rural and remote areas.
