Fed: Govt not doing enough police internet tobacco sales

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2001
Fed: Govt not doing enough police internet tobacco sales

Anti-smoking lobby groups say the federal government is not doing enough to police
tobacco retailers illegally using the internet to advertise and sell cigarettes.

Action on Smoking Health boss ANNE JONES says internet advertisements for cigars and
cigarettes have increased because retailers are taking advantage of long delays by government
officials in prosecuting the offenders.

She says the offending websites offer mail-order, budget-priced cigars and cigarettes
with no warnings about the health effects or acknowledgement that the promotions are breaching
Commonwealth laws.

Ms JONES says some insidious tobacco retailers with websites are just local retailers
in shopping centres and children have access to those sites.

AAP RTV svm/gfr/jh/ge

KEYWORD: TOBACCO (MELBOURNE)

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