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Māori smoking advocates are welcoming the passing of new smokefree legislation.
The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill will cut the amount of nicotine that is allowed in smoked tobacco products making them less addictive, decrease the numbers of retailers that sell tobacco and making sure tobacco isn’t sold at all to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.
Maori tobacco researcher and Tupeka Kore spokesperson Anaru Waa says it also provides additional support for the by Māori, for Māori approach to reducing smoking rates that has been growing since the 2010 Māori Affairs Select Committee Report on smoking.
He says community groups, iwi and hapu need to ensure they participate in developing the regulations which will flow from the new Act.
Public health advoicate Shane Bradbrook says to meet its objective of bringing smoking rates below 5 percent for all population groups, Māori need to take a lead in the design and strategic methodologies.
A Māori governance taskforce has been set up to work in partnership with the Ministry of Health.
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