THE Federal Government is considering a ban on flavoured Cigarettes, fearing they may encourage young people to smoke.
THE Federal Government is considering a ban on flavoured Cigarettes, fearing they may encourage young people to smoke.
The Herald Sun yesterday reported tobacco companies were secretly adding new flavours to their deadly products to improve their taste.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon said she was disturbed about the development and would talk to the states about tackling the problem.
"While smoking rates are dropping, flavoured Cigarettes open up a dangerous new avenue to attract children to smoking," she said.
Flavoured Cigarettes are free to be sold in Victoria but have been banned in South Australia, Western Australia and the ACT.
Ms Roxon said the states and Commonwealth would consider a national ban.
"It is unacceptable that children are smoking and unacceptable that tobacco companies are marketing their products to children," she said.
Australian adviser to the World Health Organisation Nigel Gray says new flavours have raised the carcinogen content of Cigarettes.
Chocolate, honey, sugar and liquorice flavours were increasingly being used, Dr Gray said.
"You can add things to Cigarettes which are carcinogens, or become so when burned, such as sugar," he said.