After a long struggle with retailers, the New Zealand cabinet has approved anti-tobacco measures including a ban on the display of tobacco in shops. The measure will go to Parliament in a bill and, if passed, will be implemented next year.
Previously New Zealand had declined to implement a display ban citing lack of evidence and expense. It is unclear what has changed. The drive appears to come from the Maori affairs select committee and the associate health minister Tarania Turia, who is confident that New Zealand can become smoke free by 2025.
The only UK report on New Zealand's plans to eradicate smoking is in the Telegraph: readers don't seem very impressed, judging by comments left. The plans are criticised by both tobacco companies (BAT NZ) and retailers as they are likely to fuel the already thriving illicit market.
Showing posts with label Tarania Turia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tarania Turia. Show all posts
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
NZ: Tarania Turia fails to count the cost of smoking
New Zealand, we are told, is heading for total prohibition. The NZ press is full of stories about the Government's hopes for a tobacco-free New Zealand, with short term price increases a first step. Fortunately reactions from tobacco retailers are being reported too: rapid increases in price will not suppress demand, but fuel crime rates. People will get tobacco if they want it. A rise first implemented in April will see the price of 25 cigarettes increase by 30 per cent by 2014.
Health minister Tarania Turia has cast doubt on the figures for smoking-related costs to the health services (scroll down for costs of tobacco). in a letter reproduced here. Her letter admits that the $1.bn dollar figure provided by the Ministry of Health 'has never been portrayed as a measure of the money that might be saved if compared to a world where smoking had been eradicated'.
One might asks what on earth it has been flagged up to prove, if not how much money not smoking will save.
People are going to die anyway. They might die later, they might require more care of different kinds. Or some people might need something to replace tobacco and resort to something more dangerous, whether illegal drugs or a comfort that is quite legal like cream cakes or booze in copious amounts.
In the end they don't know, as Mrs Turia is right to point out, how much money would be saved if smoking were eradicated, or even if any money would be saved at all.
H/tip Dick Puddlecote
Health minister Tarania Turia has cast doubt on the figures for smoking-related costs to the health services (scroll down for costs of tobacco). in a letter reproduced here. Her letter admits that the $1.bn dollar figure provided by the Ministry of Health 'has never been portrayed as a measure of the money that might be saved if compared to a world where smoking had been eradicated'.
One might asks what on earth it has been flagged up to prove, if not how much money not smoking will save.
People are going to die anyway. They might die later, they might require more care of different kinds. Or some people might need something to replace tobacco and resort to something more dangerous, whether illegal drugs or a comfort that is quite legal like cream cakes or booze in copious amounts.
In the end they don't know, as Mrs Turia is right to point out, how much money would be saved if smoking were eradicated, or even if any money would be saved at all.
H/tip Dick Puddlecote
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