The Cancer Society produced the Tobacco Industry Interference Index (TIII) report as part of a global collaboration, to assess how well governments meet their obligations under the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
The index shows New Zealand’s ranking plummeted from 2nd place in 2023, to 53rd place in 2025, which reflects a major weakening of safeguards on public health policy from commercial tobacco interests.
Aspire Aotearoa Research Centre co-director and University of Otago public health researcher Professor Janet Hoek said much of the ranking decline was caused by the government’s repeal of smokefree "endgame" measures, a 50% excise tax reduction on heated tobacco products against official advice, and the revolving door between tobacco industry and political advisory roles.
"Tobacco companies have tried to influence policy for decades.
"That led the World Health Organisation to develop the FCTC Article 5.3, which requires all the signatories to protect policies from industry influence.
"We're a signatory to the policy, so that's an obligation that falls squarely on us, and what the Cancer Society report has done is really show that we haven't been successful in protecting our policies."
"Doesn't it just seem incredibly sad and embarrassing and shameful that we've gone from being a world leader to being middle of the pack?
"I think everybody who works in public health just sees it as an enormous missed opportunity — not only to improve the health in general, but also to reduce the inequities.
"We know that the burden of smoking falls disproportionately on people who are Māori and Pacific, and people who live in lower socioeconomic circumstances.
"So, it's really important to introduce measures that are going to reduce those inequities.
"An overwhelming majority of them want to become smoke-free, and I think what the Associate Health Minister [Casey Costello] did was to lead the repeal of measures that gave those people hope."
A Public Health Communication Centre briefing has called for a whole-of-government approach to restore compliance with FCTC Article 5.3.
It also calls for increasing transparency in tobacco companies’ revenue, political donations, profits, taxes, marketing expenditure, philanthropy, research and corporate social responsibility.
A government-wide register of lobbyists needs to be established, with a legal requirement for all tobacco companies, affiliated organisations and individuals to register.
It also calls for the introduction of conflict-of-interest policies that prohibit public sector officials from holding positions in the tobacco industry, during or immediately after their public sector employment.
