NZ smoking rates down

Anti-smoking groups want the Government to make plain packaging legislation an immediate priority.
Anti-smoking groups want the Government to make plain packaging legislation an immediate priority.
Smokers are becoming a dwindling breed in New Zealand, with tobacco consumption down 23% in the past five years.

However, anti-smoking advocates say rates are still not falling as fast as in Australia, where the introduction of plain packaging has been credited with a 20% drop in consumption in just three years.

The figures, supplied to the Ministry of Health by New Zealand tobacco manufacturers, show average cigarette consumption has declined 6.3% per year since 2010 - equating to a 23% decline in consumption overall.

In Australia, figures show consumption has plunged 13% in the past year and 19.6% in the three years since plain packaging laws and tobacco tax increases were introduced.

"Standardised packs and annual tax increases have provided a powerful double-whammy that's saving many lives across the ditch," Smokefree Coalition Chair Jan Pearson says.

"New Zealand's falling smoking rates must have big tobacco companies worried, but if we stopped playing 'wait and see' and introduced standardised packs we'd worry them even more and prevent a lot of sickness and suffering."

The coalition and another group, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), are calling on the Government to make plain packaging legislation an immediate priority.

"Standardised packs are inevitable. Britain and Ireland will introduce them from May next year and the entire European Union is expected to do the same. Many other countries are considering the move and in years to come we'll wonder what the fuss was about - just as we did with smokefree bars and workplaces," Dr Pearson said.

"The evidence is clear that plain packaging stops tobacco companies' ability to advertise through their clever and attractive branding. That means fewer people will die of smoking-related diseases, and fewer children will grow up to become the next generation of addicted smokers. Other states aren't scared of big tobacco and we shouldn't be either."

ASH director Stephanie Erick said standardised packs and annual tax increases were just two of 13 measures that Smokefree Coalition members advocate for through an evidence-based National Action Plan to achieve the Smokefree 2025 Goal.

Ms Erick said smoking rates had reduced sharply in a generation - from 33% of adults in 1983 to less than 15% right now - but more could be done to become smoke-free.

The Smokefree National Action Plan was developed by the smokefree sector pending the Government's development of a strategy towards Smokefree 2025.

The pending development of a governmental tobacco control plan has been announced by Associate Minister of Health Peter Dunne during his launch of the Alcohol and Drug Policy in August.

 

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