HEALTH experts have called for increased funding to help tackle Tasmania's high smoking rates.
New figures showing the proportion of smokers is still higher than the national average prompted state Quit Services and the Heart Foundation to lobby for more money for anti-smoking marketing on social media.
New Australian Health Survey results show the state's proportion of smokers is 23.2 per cent, compared with the national average of 18.1 per cent.
Quit Services director Kathryn Terry said reducing smoking rates required multiple strategies but she cited social marketing funding as the reason Tasmania was failing to make significant inroads into the problem.
"Other states have had a big commitment in terms of social marketing dollars and we've just had an increase in the past few years," Ms Terry said.
Heart Foundation CEO Graeme Lynch said extra marketing dollars for anti-smoking campaigns would be one of the best health spends for the state -- and could be achieved for $500,000.
"Smoking is a very complex issue in Tasmania and it's primarily tied up with the social circumstances of our population," he said.
"Evidence tells us that a combination in federal excise duty on cigarettes and an increase in sustained social marketing will drive down smoking rates.
"An additional $500,000 would be enough to hit the amount of social marketing the evidence suggests is required."
The figures showed states such as New South Wales and Queensland have reduced their rates by more than 4 percentage points to 16.4 per cent and 19 per cent respectively since 2007-08.
Tasmania's proportion of smokers only fell by 1.7 percentage points, down from 24.9 per cent.
Ms Terry said Quit Services' social marketing funding from the State Government had significantly increased in the 2009-2010 financial year.
This financial year it received $288,000, the majority of which was earmarked for TV campaigns.
"The way our funding is structured, the majority has to go where the evidence says it's most effective, and that's TV," Ms Terry said.
"Television campaigns are really emotive and have the reach and intensity in getting across the Quit message."
Mr Lynch said smoking was a risk factor for many chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, cancer and respiratory conditions.
"As long as Tasmanians continue to smoke, we will continue to face huge long-term health challenges," he said.
Health Minister Michelle O'Byrne said the State Government had made a concerted effort to de-normalise smoking.
"We have made it illegal to smoke around playgrounds, around sports grounds and in outdoor dining areas," Ms O'Byrne said.
"And we have given the director of public health the power to rule public events smoke-free.
"The test of these reforms will be in the smoking rates over the years to come and I believe we will see those rates fall."
elizabeth.lord@news.com.au
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