The Tasmanian Greens today called on Minister for Health, Michelle O’Byrne, to detail the Labor party position on an introduction of a floor price on tobacco products, in light of recent threats from big tobacco companies to flood the market with cheap product in plain packaging.
Greens Health spokesperson Paul ‘Basil’ O’Halloran MP said smoking related illness is a preventable and massive impost on the health budget, as well as the quality of life of Tasmanians, highlighting the need for a floor price on plain package tobacco products.
Mr O’Halloran also said state Labor needs to take to their Federal counterpart a strong position on the need for tobacco floor pricing.
“The Labor party need to come out strongly on a position that will not allow the State to be bullied by threats propagated by big tobacco companies, and introduce a floor price on tobacco products,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“Smoking related illness is an impost to the Tasmanian health network budget, and is a fully preventable cost that should not be allowed to be pushed from the tobacco industry.”
“A floor price on plain packaging tobacco products would generate income that could be funnelled into prevention strategies and cancer research, not into election campaigns for the Liberal party.”
“The Health Minister provided in-principle support to plain packaging and floor pricing, but relied on the Federal arena as the appropriate jurisdiction to make a strong and definite stance on tobacco floor pricing.”
“We have an opportunity here to be global leaders in strategies to reduce smoking and to send a signal to big tobacco that their predatory approach, especially in the developing world, belongs in another century.”
“Massive discounts to keep a failing industry’s head above water is not something that should be pandered too, and a strong minimum pricing should be implemented on all tobacco based products to alleviate the ongoing and preventable impost that smoking related illness has on Tasmanians,” Mr O’Halloran said.
