Celebrating 50 years of leadership in anti-tobacco advertising this World No Tobacco Day

MEDIA RELEASE and ALERT
Wednesday 31 May 2023

Public health experts in tobacco control and behaviour change campaigns join a special event at ACMI’s Swinburne Studio at Federation Square to mark 50 years of anti-tobacco advertising led by Cancer Council Victoria. 

WHEN: Weds 31 May 8:15-9:30am with speeches to be followed by panel discussion

WHERE: Swinburne Studio at ACMI, Federation Square (enter via Flinders Street)

WHY: Marking 50 years of anti-tobacco advertising by Cancer Council Victoria on World No Tobacco Day

WHAT: A look at the past legacy of CCV and Quit in anti-tobacco advertising, heading into the future challenge of vaping and e-cigarette regulation

SPEAKERS: 

Professor David Hill AM AO – Founding Director of Centre of Behavioural Research in Cancer

Todd Harper AM – Cancer Council Victoria CEO

Professor Sarah Durkin – Acting Head of Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer

Dr Sandro Demaio – VicHealth CEO

Dr Thomas Kehoe, Cancer Council Victoria Historian

VISION/AUDIO: Footage of the ACMI exhibition, historical Cancer Council advertisements and interviews with speakers above

The exhibition, hosted by ACMI as part of Moving Minds, is an important collaboration between Cancer Council Victoria, Quit, VicHealth and Swinburne University of Technology showcasing the creative and educative ways Australia has tackled anti-tobacco advertising over five decades.

Moving Minds anti-tobacco advertising exhibition at ACMI

There have been enormous developments in our understanding of human behaviour and motivation to change health-risking habits. When Cancer Council’s Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer (CBRC) was established in 1987, it employed research fellows with specific expertise in psychology and behavioural change. Approaches to other harmful industries such as gambling, junk food and now vaping have heavily leant on learnings from CBRC’s ground-breaking work in tobacco control.

Todd Harper, Cancer Council CEO said: “Looking back at our progress in behaviour change campaigns and effective government advocacy influencing policy, it gives me great confidence we will be able to address vaping as the new behemoth of public health challenges”.

Dr Sandro Demaio, CEO of VicHealth – a key Quit partner for more than 30 years – said, “World No Tobacco Day is a chance to celebrate and reflect on our efforts in driving down smoking rates. It’s time to draw on what we’ve learnt to stop the tobacco and vaping industries hooking another generation of young people on nicotine through e-cigarettes.”

Professor David Hill AM AO, Todd Harper AM, Dr Thomas Kehoe, Professor Sarah Durkin, Dr Sandro Demaio

- ENDS –

Media Contact Prue Gildea,
Senior Media Advisor, Quit -M: (03) 9514 6577 (redirects to mobile) / prue.gildea@cancervic.org.au

For support to stop vaping or smoking contact Quitline online at quit.org.au or call 13 7848.

Live chat, text, request a call back and Facebook Messenger options are available.

Campaign: Quit recently launched a digital campaign called ‘See through the haze’ to educate young people about the poisonous chemicals contained in e-cigarettes. Find out more: vapingfacts.org.au/seethroughthehaze