The Government has proposed a raft of radical changes to tobacco smoking controls, including sweeping cuts to tobacco retailers and the banning of tobacco sales to new smokers.
The Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan proposals, which have been put to the public in a discussion document on Thursday, include limiting tobacco sales to specific R18 stores or pharmacies, the reduction of nicotine in products, and a prohibition on filters in cigarettes.
Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said the Government wanted to hear from the public and businesses involved about what measure might be viable to further decrease New Zealands already reducing tobacco smoking rate.
About 4500 New Zealanders die every year from tobacco, and we need to make accelerated progress to be able to reach that goal. Business as usual without tobacco control program won’t get us there, she said.
Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall has put forward possible smokefree proposals.
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We need a new approach … These include proposals on reducing the access to tobacco through different retail outlets, as well as reducing the palatability of cigarettes by addressing the use of menthol crush-balls filters and filters themselves, and potentially creating a minimum price for cigarettes and tobacco as well.
A possible smokefree generation policy could forever ban the sale of tobacco to people younger than 18-years-old from 2022, meaning anyone born after 2004 would be unable to buy tobacco.
Verrall said this was the most extreme version of such a policy, whereas the Government could raise the smoking age from 2022 to help foster a smokefree generation.
It effectively could increase the age of access to tobacco by two years, five years, or so, to an age where taking up smoking is much less likely.
Currently, there are no restrictions on where tobacco can be sold. At least 80 per cent of it is sold through convenience stores, service stations, on-licensed premises and supermarkets, the proposal document said.
There is not very high profit margins on tobacco in New Zealand because the tax is so high, but there is an issue about whether you lose the other business, that comes with tobacco people going into convenience stores and buying a loaf of bread or milk or whatever. And I think that is something we really do want to hear from retailers on.
She said the creation of specialist tobacco stores that did not directly compete with convenience stores might curb the effect of taking tobacco sales from them.
Another possibility was restricting the number of tobacco retailers by population density.
Verrall said that, currently, Mori communities have a higher density of tobacco outlets. Mori, and particularly Mori women, have a higher rate of smoking than the rest of the population.
The Government has been working to make New Zealand smokefree by 2025.
As you can imagine, if you are addicted to nicotine and yet the product is out there every time you walk down the street, it’s very hard to quit.
Looking at retail outlets and the density of retail outlets as proposed … will really help with the equity.
Other proposed measures include reducing nicotine to low levels in tobacco products, setting a minimum price for tobacco, and licencing all tobacco and vaping retailers.
The prospect of limiting the amount of nicotine in tobacco would require input from tobacco companies, and whether that’s a sort of product that they think could it be offered commercially.
Some tobacco companies have said that they support a smokefree goal and are putting their efforts on vapes and I hope that they will see this as a positive development.
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark said the proposal document released on Thursday was a pivotal step. (file photo).
The proposals have been lauded by health experts. Professor Boyd Swinburn, chairman of advocacy group Health Coalition Aotearoa, said in a statement that the recommendations were likely game-ending for tobacco.
There is clear evidence that restricting retail availability is a central strategy for reducing the damage from all harmful products.
Several options to achieve this are outlined in the Governments proposals and we need to ensure that there is a just transition for small business owners, like dairies, to exit tobacco retail.
ACT MP Karen Chhour has slammed the Governments smokefree proposals. (file photo)
ACT Party social development spokeswoman Karen Chhour said the proposed measures would mean smokers who are less able to afford their habits would end up spending more.
As a former smoker I have to say Im sick and tired of this Government trying to socially engineer us into changing our behaviour, she said, in a statement.
Theres a strong argument too that this will drive up the trade of black market tobacco with high nicotine, driving those addicted to cigarettes to turn to crime to feed their habit.
Former Prime Minister Helen Clark, who as health minister in 1990 ushered in the Smoke-free Environments Act, said in a statement that New Zealand needed a plan.
Having a plan puts New Zealand on a better footing to realise the dream of over 30 years ago and complete our journey to becoming a smoke-free nation by 2025.