Quit has welcomed news that the Federal Government is taking steps to restrict tobacco advertising online.
The new laws will mean online retailers will have to abide by the same rules as physical retailers and other media like television and newspapers.
Under the restrictions:
- cigarettes and tobacco will no longer be able to be promoted as "cheap", "discounted" or "tax-free";
- online retailers will have to show required health warnings on their websites;
- and it will be illegal for retailers to show photos of cigarettes.
So why is this so important? Advertising restrictions help make tobacco products less appealing, especially to young people, which helps bring down smoking rates.
Quit believes it's vital to shutdown any avenue of promotion for a product that claims the life of one in two long-term users.
The Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Amendment Bill was tabled in the House of Representatives today, and will be debated by both houses in the coming weeks.The proposed ban on internet advertising of tobacco products in Australia follows the National Preventive Health Taskforce recommendation to ban the online advertising and sale of tobacco products.