December 29, 2015
Pressure mounts for plain packaging law
The Heart Foundation has joined the chorus asking for rapid action on plain packaging of tobacco.
The hurdle for legislation here was cleared this month when an arbitration court in Singapore ruled it could not act on tobacco giant Philip Morris' challenge against Australia's 2011 plain-packaging legislation.
Heart Foundation medical director Gerry Devlin says it’s now time for New Zealand to stand up to the tobacco industry and implement its own plain-packaging law.
The New Zealand bill was introduced almost two years ago by former associate health minister Tariana Turia but it was put on hold after its first reading while the Government waited for a decision from Australia.
Dr Devlin says smoking is one of the leading causes of heart disease, which kills more than 6000 New Zealanders every year.
He says without plain packaging smoking rates are coming down too slowly, particularly among Maori and Pasifika.
“Evidence shows that plain packaging removes the power of attractive imagery used by brands to sell a certain lifestyle or personality ‘image’ to consumers. It also stops tobacco companies from misleading people with lighter colours to suggest products are less harmful,” Dr Devlin says.
He says there is an increasing amount of evidence to show that standardised packaging of tobacco can affect uptake of tobacco use, especially among young people, while reducing the overall tobacco use of existing smokers.
The Maori Party has also welcomes the tribunal’s decision.
Co-leader Marama Fox says she was encouraged to hear Trade Minister Todd McClay say he believes New Zealand is well positioned to defend a legal challenge if we were to pass plain packaging legislation here.
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