Smoking kills, it’s as simple as that!

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDFeb 1 2011

Australia’s Department of Health and Ageing yesterday (Monday) launched its most focused anti-tobacco campaign with a new TV adverts graphically linking smoking with lung cancer. The message of the $61 million campaign says, “Every cigarette you smoke brings cancer closer.”

Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon at the launch of the largest ever National Tobacco Campaign said, “Smoking kills, it’s as simple as that… This campaign will emphasize the link between a smoker’s cough-an everyday occurrence that is familiar to most smokers-and lung cancer. The campaign reminds smokers that a cough is the most common symptom of lung cancer.” She added, “The link between smoking and lung cancer is well-established. In Australia, smoking causes 84 per cent of new lung cancers in men and 77 per cent in women, so the message is plain: stop smoking to reduce your risk of lung cancer…The campaign will include national advertising across television, print, online, outdoor and radio with a simple call to action: smokers-attempt to quit today.”

This comes along with plans for plain packaging that comes on later this year. There is also a proposed increase in tobacco taxes and subsidized nicotine patches. This multi pronged approach to the smoking problem shows that the government is ready to aid all smokers to quit for good. Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease in Australia, killing 15,000 Australians and costing the economy $31.5 billion each year.