People who smoke chop chop – or unbranded loose tobacco – report significantly worse health than legal smokers, according to the Cancer Council Victoria.
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A report, Health Effects of Smoking Tobacco in Other Forms, uses data from the 2013 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, which shows 89 per cent of smokers use manufactured cigarettes, but chop chop is also still in use.
The report says chop chop smokers are at risk of inhaling fungal spores, which have been detected in the tobacco, and can cause liver, kidney and skin problems.
The mould spores can also lead to allergic reactions, chronic bronchitis, asthma and lung disease.
The Cancer Council Victoria also said chop chop can contain bulking agents such as twigs, raw cotton and grass clippings.
It follows a report by The Courier which shows illicit tobacco and chop chop is being sold in Ballarat, with illegal tobacco products bought in three shops across the city, set up mainly as “gift stores”.
Ballarat Community Health healthy lifestyle team leader Louise Feary said a number of their smoking cessation clinic clients used loose tobacco.
“We are very concerned around the use of chop chop,” Ms Feary said.
“People often interpret it as less harmful but that’s not the case.
“You’re never sure what’s in it.”
Ballarat MP Catherine King, who is also the Opposition health spokesman, said she was concerned by the sale of tobacco in all its forms.
“Labor’s world-leading reforms have driven smoking down to record lows, and will reduce the illnesses and deaths that come with it,” Ms King said.
“But this research (by The Courier) shows that we need to keep up the fight in Ballarat and around Australia – as Labor committed to do at the last election.”
The Australian Labor Party pledged to invest $20 million in a scaled-up National Tobacco Campaign as part of its 2016 election bid.
The estimated annual cost of smoking to the health system and economic more than $30 billion annually.