ASH comment on New Zealand’s plan to ban cigarette sales for future generations

Commenting on new measures being introduced to end smoking in New Zealand,[1] ASH Deputy Chief Executive Hazel Cheeseman said:

“In New Zealand they set an ambition to be smokefree and now have a plan to achieve this. Our government, with the same ambition, is yet to make any clear commitments to tackle smoking – despite pledging a new strategy a year ago.

“The New Zealand measures may not all be right for us, but we do need strong regulation and proper funding of services if we’re to, in the government’s words, ‘make smoking obsolete’.

“We should start by consulting on raising the age of sale to 21 and levying the money needed to help smokers quit from the tobacco industry.”

[1] Reuters: New Zealand to ban cigarette sales for future generations; Guardian: New Zealand to ban smoking for next generation in bid to outlaw habit by 2025; BBC News: New Zealand to ban cigarettes for future generations

Notes to the Editor

Action on Smoking and Health is a health charity working to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco use. For more information see: www.ash.org.uk/about-ash

ASH receives funding for its programme of work from Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.

ASH staff are available for interview. For more information send an email to press@ash.org.uk or ring Deborah Arnott (Chief Executive, ASH) on 07976 935 987.