August 22, 2019
Tobacco researchers look for community action


Māori tobacco control advocates hope a new research programme will give Māori communities the tools they need to become smokefree.
Whakaha o Te Pā Harakeke is a collaboration between Otago University, Hāpai Te Hauora, Kōkiri Marae, Keriana Olsen Trust, and ESR.
It was launched this morning at Kōkiri Marae in Petone.
The collective has a $4.95 million programme grant from the Health Research Council to work with Māori communities to help eliminate smoking inequities and accelerate progress towards a Smokefree Aotearoa.
Otago University primary investigator Anaru Waa says work is needed to better understand what is causing smoking disparities to exist and what can be done from a policy perspective and a community perspective.
Hāpai chief executive Selah Hart says a tobacco-free nation is a Māori nation.
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