New Zealand’s Quitline has seen a surge of people saying they want to give up tobacco smoking after the tax hikes on New Year’s Day, but many smokers say the price increase won’t change their habits, according to a story on Radio New Zealand.
The price of cigarettes increased by 10 percent on January 1, raising the average retail price of a 20-piece pack by NZ$2 to NZ$27.
During the past six years, cigarette prices have been pushed up by NZ$11 a pack.
Quitline was contacted 1,700 times in the first week of January, about 500 more times than in the same week last year.
“The new year is a time when people look to improve their health,” said Quitline chief executive Andrew Slater. “[For] smokers, it’s when they think most about giving up smoking.”
But a Ministry of Health tobacco tax excise evaluation released last year showed focus groups thought most smokers would rather pay more rather than go without cigarettes.
Ben Youdan, a spokesperson for Action for Smokefree New Zealand, said New Zealand was now one of the most expensive places to be a smoker.
It was obvious that smoking was addictive, he said, but it could also be a personal issue for people.
The Ministry of Health said it was committed to the Smokefree 2025 goal and considered vaping and e-cigarettes a less harmful alternative to smoking and combustible cigarettes.