Page 5416 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 8 December 2009
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higher breathing rates per body weight, their greater lung surface area relative to adults and the comparative immaturity of their lungs.
The council also states that a person’s lungs continue to grow and develop throughout childhood and adolescence, peaking in young adulthood. Second-hand smoke causes decreased lung function during childhood, leading to a reduced maximum level in adulthood. This impairment may potentially increase vulnerability to other insults to the lungs, such as active smoking, second-hand smoke, exposure to air pollution and occupational irritants, and possibly increases the risk of developing future chronic lung disease.
In addition to the impacts of second-hand smoke, the Greens support the government’s goal to decrease the level of teenagers’ smoking, and the legislation before the chamber assists in achieving that goal. There is obviously peer pressure for teenagers when it comes to smoking and many do engage in the habit when they are around friends. If we can limit the potential for smoking to occur in teenage social settings, I do believe we are having a positive impact.
Finally, I would like to thank the Minister for Health for proposing this legislation. It is not always an easy task to take such steps when you know you will receive some opposition. But I believe the steps provided are necessary if we are, I guess, to “walk the talk” on preventative healthcare and improve the health outcomes of our community.
This legislation being debated today has the support of peak health organisations, including the National Heart Foundation. Clubs in the ACT have also been generally supportive of the laws and the proposed exemptions, which has been noted in the media and also through informal discussions I have had. The key issue here, which we must keep in mind at all stages, is to protect the health of workers, patrons and children. That must be our primary consideration.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Health and Minister for Industrial Relations) (10.43): I thank members for their contributions and their support for this bill in principle. I am very happy to speak today in support of the Smoking (Prohibition in Enclosed Public Places) Amendment Bill 2009, which is another important step forward for the ACT in attempts to implement further tobacco control measures. It will see outdoor eating and drinking places and under-age functions smoke-free in one year’s time.
With the passage of this bill, the ACT will be only the third jurisdiction to have in place a ban on smoking in outdoor eating and drinking places. Queensland and Tasmania already have legislation in place. Although these jurisdictions have moved ahead of the ACT in expanding the places where smoking is restricted, I am proud of the fact that the ACT was the first jurisdiction to introduce smoke-free legislation back in 1994. Because of the ACT’s initiative we were ahead of many other jurisdictions with their enclosed public places legislation. In fact, it is only as recently as 2007 that every state in Australia had implemented their enclosed public places legislation.
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