Smoking Rates

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:58): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Will the minister update the council on the government's efforts to reduce smoking prevalence in South Australia, given that every year more than 15½ thousand Australians die as a result of smoking-related diseases?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:59): I thank the honourable member for his question. The Marshall Liberal government is determined to drive down smoking and the harm to health that it causes, including death.

The Marshall government recently launched a national first: Quit Your Way in May. It is an innovative campaign to encourage South Australians to make a quit smoking attempt during the month of May. It often takes people several attempts to successfully quit smoking. This campaign encourages smokers to set a goal to quit smoking for the entire month of May or a shorter period, such as a fortnight or week. You don't have to have stopped smoking on 1 May to join the campaign; you can set yourself another date this month to begin your journey to be smoke free—any day is a good day to give smokes away.

The campaign provides an opportunity for South Australians to have a go at quitting alongside other South Australians as they attempt to be smoke free. Smokers can join the campaign at quityourwayinmay.com.au and register to receive helpful tips and support throughout their quit attempt.

There are many useful tools for quitting smoking on the website, which includes help to make a quitting plan, suggestions on how to distract yourself, information on how your body recovers after quitting and a smoking costs calculator to show smokers how much more money they could have in their pockets if they gave the smokes away.

Smoking has been linked to a long list of diseases that includes many types of cancer, heart disease and stroke, chest and lung illnesses and stomach ulcers. The Cancer Council reports that tobacco remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in Australia and, as the honourable member rightly highlighted, they estimate that it claims the lives of more than 15,000 Australians every year.

I am very encouraged by the strong response to Quit Your Way in May so far, with more than 1,000 South Australians having signed up to put the durries away for the month of May. If everyone who has registered is successful in not smoking for the time they have elected on their registration, there will be almost 600,000 unsmoked cigarettes and almost $900,000 saved this month alone.

The Marshall Liberal government was elected with a strong commitment to improve the health and wellbeing of our community. Our better prevention for a healthy South Australia and targeted health prevention policies outline our commitment to rebalancing the South Australian health system with a renewed prevention focus. This government is committed to reducing the prevalence of smoking and supporting all South Australians to experience good physical, mental and social health and wellbeing.