New sale of tobacco laws come into effect

From 1 January 2011, retailers selling tobacco products in Victoria are prohibited from visibly displaying the products to consumers.

Under the new legislation, tobacco products must not be visible from anywhere inside or outside a retail outlet and are banned from display on vending machines.

The changes aim to help reduce the burden of ill health and the cost of smoking to the Victorian community.

Health Minister David Davis said despite great progress, tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of illness and death in Victoria, claiming around 4,000 lives, causing 80 per cent of lung cancer cases and costing Victorians around $5 billion every year.

"Initiatives such as these will further help to reduce the number of young Victorians who adopt the habit and make it easier to quit," Mr Davis said.

Since 1 January 2010, key changes to tobacco laws in Victoria have included:

• banning smoking in cars carrying children under the age of 18 years
• banning the sale of tobacco at temporary outlets and providing Ministerial power to ban youth-orientated tobacco products and packaging; and
• implementing improved cessation services with an emphasis on supporting pregnant women, Aboriginal and other groups with high smoking rates.

Tobacco reforms in Victoria have seen smoking banned in pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes, more than 80,000 enclosed workplaces, shopping centres, gaming venues, underage music and dance events and covered areas of train station platforms and tram and bus shelters.

The cost of compliance to general tobacco retailers has been minimised by allowing flexibility in the way the new requirements can be met.

For example, retailers may cover their existing displays with an opaque material, such as a curtain, or move cigarettes to an area out of view, such as under the counter.

In the lead up to the changes, all 11,606 known tobacco retailers in Victoria received a letter and fact sheet providing a summary of their obligations under the Tobacco Act.

Further information

Further information about the legislative changes is available on the Tobacco Reforms website. Retailers with enquiries about how they can comply with the new laws can call the Tobacco Information Line on 1300 136 775.