Māori tobacco control advocates will today hand over a petition opposing Government plans to repeal smokefree laws.
Hāpai Te Hauora and Te Roopu Tupeka Kore launched the online petition a fortnight ago when National announced its coalition agreements with ACT and NZ First included scrapping moves to cut the number of retail outlets, reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes and kill the smokefree generation policy.
Leitu Tufuga, Hāpai’s tobacco control advocate, says 5000 whanau lose loved ones to tobacco-related diseases every year.
They’re asking the Government to put people before profits.
“So there is a lot of effort, a lot of heart and a lot of momentum. We can’t afford to go backwards, we can’t afford to lose many lives through tobacco harm,” Ms Tufuga says.
The petition will be presented to Te Pāti Māori in a wahakura, a flax bassinet on parliament grounds at 1 pm today.
