Hundreds of venues across Australia are still selling cigarettes from vending machines and cancer researchers want them gone - no ifs or butts.
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Research done by university professors examined the attitudes of more than 800 owners and managers of alcohol-licensed premises in NSW, Queensland and WA.
They say the value of cigarette vending machines is depreciating, but their presence alone encourages smoking temptation for many vulnerable Australians.
Chief investigator in the study, Professor Suzan Burton, raised the concern that accessible smoking vending machines also endorses alcohol usage.
''Alcohol consumption, particularly in social settings like pubs, bars and clubs, also increases the amount of smoking, increases the likelihood of smoking for people who smoke only occasionally, and undermines quit attempts,'' she said.
Christina Watts is a research fellow at the Daffodil Centre, a joint venture between the University of Sydney and Cancer Council NSW.
She said Australia is significantly behind other countries such as the UK and France, where the vending machines were banned decades ago.
The ACT is the only jurisdiction that has banned the machines.
Dr Watts said the study found retailers are not going to voluntarily stop using the machines and changing laws was needed to reduce the supply of tobacco.
Australian Associated Press
