Plain-packaged booze may hit a bottle shop near you
The government's push for plain-packaged cigarettes could be just the beginning, as health activists take a new fight all the way to Canberra - one drink is doing you damage.
Today MPs will be confronted with the fact even one alcoholic drink can cause cancer, when National Alliance for Action on Alcohol, lobby for limits on how much we consume and how much it costs.
The group of health and community organisations states it stands for "limits on all forms of alcohol marketing and promotions, including point-of-sale promotions, print and media advertising, packaging, labelling, sponsorship, viral and internet campaigns".
If the push for branding alcohol a carcinogen is successful, restrictions such as those applied to tobacco could hit the local bottle shop.
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The Cancer Council of Australia believes an alcoholic drink is just as dangerous as a cigarette, and if this filters through to the government, warnings on alcohol labels and laws requiring plain packaging may not be far away.
"There is no evidence that there is a safe threshold of alcohol consumption for avoiding cancer, or that cancer risk varies between the type of alcohol beverage consumed," the Cancer Council states.
Michael Thorn, head of the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation, is also alarmed by the risks of alcohol.
He insists there is a growing body of evidence which shows cancer can be caused by even low-level alcohol intake, while five per cent of all cancers are caused by "long-term, chronic use of alcohol".
"I think we've in denial if we don't think there are harms from even low level alcohol use," Mr Thorn said recently.
There is clear conflict between health professionals on the risks of moderate drinking compared with high-level consumption, while there appears to be a consensus on the dangers of tobacco.
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Plain cigarette packaging goes to parliament
The government is introducing a "world first" draft law to parliament today, although there is disquiet in opposition ranks about forcing tobacco companies to plain package their products.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon says she has noticed "a few" Liberal Party backbenchers "out attacking" her plan.
"There does seem to be disquiet in the Liberal Party for what is a really exciting public health initiative," she told ABC TV.
The coalition has agreed to support the legislation while foreshadowing some amendments.
One tobacco giant, Phillip Morris, has flagged it will take legal action against the measure.
Public health organisations have described that response as desperate because tobacco companies know the measure will be implemented in other countries if the Australian move works.
"This is world's best practice for tobacco control," said Australian Council on Smoking and Health president Mike Daube.
The Cancer Council Victoria says cigarette packaging is the single most important advertising tool available to tobacco companies.
"We only need to look at the desperation of the tobacco industry's efforts to undermine plain packaging to understand how important this initiative is," council CEO Todd Harper said.
Treasurer Wayne Swan, who has battled prostate cancer, said the government would not back down on the reform.
"I'm a cancer survivor and I don't think this government or anyone in it will be intimidated by the big spend from big tobacco," he told reporters in Canberra.
