A National Approach for Reducing Access to Tobacco in Australia by Young People under 18 Years of Age

3. Recommended key elements for a national best practice model

Recommended key elements for a national best practice model - A National Approach for Reducing Access to Tobacco in Australia by Young People under 18 Years of Age

Page last updated: 26 April 2012

The National Expert Advisory Committee on Tobacco and the National Tobacco Policy Officers Group recommend that jurisdictions consider the following specific initiatives during development of jurisdictional responses to reduction of access by young people to tobacco
products.

  1. Examination of the effectiveness of current legislation to prohibit the sale and supply of tobacco to minors under the age of 18 years and consideration of the following elements within legislative programs:

    • significant penalties for retailers who sell tobacco to young people (For example, greater than $5,000);

    • proof of age card or equivalent photographic ID scheme for tobacco purchases;

    • identification of the authority responsible for enforcement;

    • provision for the prosecution of the seller, owner and/or manager (license holder);

    • inclusion of an offence to supply tobacco to a person under the age of 18 years; and

    • penalties for those who supply (other than sell) tobacco to minors.

  2. Indication of intention to prosecute retailers who sell tobacco to young people or to people who are known to be supplying cigarettes to young people.

  3. Phase out of self service cigarette vending machines by 2002.

  4. Development and implementation of a system of routine compliance monitoring of tobacco retailers to monitor the rate of illegal sales of tobacco to young people by 2002.

  5. Development and implementation of an education strategy for the general public to raise awareness about the issue and to promote community participation in strategies to reduce young people’s access to tobacco by 2002.

  6. Development and implementation of retailer education strategies advising them of their obligations not to sell tobacco to young people under the age of 18 years or to people who are known to be supplying cigarettes to young people and the penalties for doing so by 2002.

  7. Indication of intention to:

    • ensure that adequate capacity is provided for enforcement and monitoring programs to support sales to minors prevention programs;

    • provide training programs and resources for relevant enforcement bodies in collaboration with key stakeholders, enforcement agencies and health authorities; and

    • ensure regular publicity and public relations programs are included as integral components of enforcement strategies.

  8. Development of strategies that address the supply of cigarettes to young people. There should be further monitoring of trends in the supply of cigarettes to young people from non-retail outlets and formative research undertaken to assist in the formulation of effective strategies such as communication programs to address this issue. Strategies such as advertising and community education programs, publicity and public relation programs, enforcement programs and community action strategies should complement those designed to reduce the sale of cigarettes to minors.

  9. Monitoring of the implementation of the National Approach to prevent sale and supply of tobacco products to children to be included within the overall monitoring strategy developed for the National Tobacco Strategy.

  10. A review of the National Approach to be coordinated and funded by the Commonwealth to evaluate the effectiveness of this strategy and a comprehensive report to be provided to the Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs by 2004.