QANTAS decides to reintroduce (as of July 1, 2008) cigarette sales on board international flights..

July 17, 2008 - This overturns the airline's decision 10 years ago to remove cigarettes from its in-flight duty free range. Qantas management has written to attendants directing them to display the cigarettes prominently on the in-flight duty-free trolley carts. Australian tobacco legislation prohibits cigarettes from being advertised or listed in duty free catalogues. Health groups have received several complaints from Qantas staff, who are concerned at having to push tobacco products as part of their job.

Quit Victoria has described the decision as "backwards" and a "greedy cash grab" at the expense of people's health. Qantas Group general manager of customer product and services Lesley Grant said other airlines including British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Virgin Atlantic sold cigarettes in-flight. Reference: Qantas: the smoking kangaroo? by Jill Stark, The Sydney Morning Herald, 7/17/2008.

Will anti-smoking groups in Australia apply enough pressure to get this decision reversed??

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