New Zealand urged to follow Australian pack

An activist in New Zealand has called on the government to follow Australia’s lead in introducing standardized packaging for cigarettes, according to a New Zealand Herald story relayed by the TMA.

Smokefree Coalition chairperson, Dr. Jan Pearson, says that even though New Zealand’s smoking prevalence is declining; it is not falling as fast as in Australia.

Figures supplied by cigarette manufacturers to the New Zealand Ministry of Health indicate that cigarette consumption in New Zealand has declined by 6.3 percent each year since 2010, equating to a 23 percent overall decline in five years.

But Pearson contends that the introduction of standardized packaging in Australia has resulted in a nearly 20 percent drop in consumption in three years.

“Standardized packs and annual tax increases have provided a powerful double-whammy that’s saving many lives across the ditch,” she said.

Pearson said that New Zealand should stop “playing ‘wait and see'” and require standardized packaging because the evidence was clear that such packaging “stops tobacco companies’ ability to advertise through their clever and attractive branding”. Action on Smoking and Health NZ director Stephanie Erick also called for the introduction of a standardized packaging law.

He said that the adult smoking rate in New Zealand had reduced from 33 percent in 1983 to less than 15 percent today, but that more could be done to become smoke-free.

A standardized packaging requirement and annual tax hikes were among 13 measures that the Smokefree Coalition recommended be included in a National Action Plan to achieve the goal of making the New Zealand smoke-free by 2025.