Most people who smoke wish they hadn’t – now the NZ Medical Association supports the government’s blueprint to help all New Zealanders, especially future generations, live tobacco and regrets free.
The NZMA has written to the government strongly supporting the proposed Smoke-Free Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan.
The chairman of the NZMA, Dr. Alistair Humphrey, says the NZMA has been at the forefront of advocacy for several years to help make Aotearoa an essentially smoke-free nation by 2025.
“Our 2017 statement called on the government to develop an action plan to achieve Smokefree 2025, with a focus on the Māori-focused outcomes,” said Dr. Humphrey.
“We are pleased that the proposals contain some of the measures we have requested as well as some new measures. We believe that if fully implemented, the Action Plan offers a realistic chance of achieving the 2025 target.
“More than eighty percent of smokers wish they never start – we want to save New Zealanders from that regret and instead lead healthy, smoke-free lives.”
The NZMA strongly supports all proposed measures:
· Less availability of tobacco products
· Licensing of retailers of tobacco and steam products
· Reducing the number of retailers of smoked tobacco products
· Restricting the sale of smoked tobacco products to a limited number of specific types of shops
· Introduction of a guideline for the production of smoke-free products
· Measures to make smoked tobacco products less addictive and appealing
· Reduction of nicotine in smoked tobacco products to very low levels
· Prohibition of filters in cigarettes
· Prohibition of innovations to increase the attractiveness and risk of addiction of smoked tobacco products
· Make tobacco products less affordable
· Establishing a minimum price for all tobacco products to complement existing excise tax measures
Click here to read our full submission.
· The NZMA is New Zealand’s largest medical organization with approximately 5000 members from all areas of medicine. The NZMA aims to lead the medical profession and promote the professional unity and values and health of all New Zealanders.
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