Health experts want ministers to disclose tobacco industry links
February 01, 2024 by 1news.co.nz
Health experts want ministers to disclose tobacco industry links
Public health experts are calling on the Government to be totally transparent on any past or present dealings its MPs have had with tobacco companies. The coalition is set to repeal the previous government's smokefree legislation, which would have banned the sale of tobacco to anyone born from January 1, 2009; cut the number of retailers; and de-nicotinised cigarettes. The Government is vowing to still meet Smokefree 2025 targets, but reasons it gave for repealing the previous legislation included that it could lead to a rise in crime and a tobacco black market.
8.30% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 444,279 current smokers in New Zealand.
SOURCE: GSTHR