CQ Health’s Public Health Unit is making a difference with smoking laws compliance, with one of the top rates of enforcement in Queensland.
Manager Environmental Health Angela Rea said the harmful effects of exposure to tobacco and second-hand smoke were well known, and Queensland had introduced tough laws to keep residents safe.
“Our Environmental Health Officers are on the ball when it comes to enforcing the laws, and are making a real difference,” she said. “This is great news for Central Queenslanders who are entitled to live in a smoke-free environment.”
From this month, Environmental Health Officers will wear body-worn cameras to capture footage to support their investigations while conducting regulatory activities under the Medicines and Poisons Act 2019 and Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998.
In the past financial year, Central Queensland Public Health Unit has audited more than 166 retail outlets under the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act, which is the second highest number of inspections by a public health unit in Queensland.
There were 133 enforcement actions taken, including 79 penalty infringement notices.
In Central Queensland, 909,365 cigarettes, 679.7kg of loose-leaf tobacco, 5121 nicotine-containing personal vaporisers, 623 bongs and 325 ice pipes were seized, and 1.53 tonnes of illicit tobacco was destroyed.
The unit intends on prosecuting seven retail outlets for non-compliance with the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act.
Ms Rea said this was important work and was in line with CQ Health’s commitment to support a drop in the adult smoking rate for Central Queensland.
Read the Information sheet: Use of body worn cameras by public health authorised officers [PDF 151.84 KB].