April 11, 2024
Tobacco control capacity choked
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation says job cuts at the Ministry of Health will mean fewer boots on the ground enforcing vaping regulations.
As part of the drive to fund the Government’s tax cuts, last week the ministry proposed cutting 5 of the 13 roles in the Tobacco Regulatory Authority.
Foundation chief executive Letitia Harding says the threat of enforcement is what makes the law work.
“You know it’s a bit like you know the old selling of liquor to underage. There was a big push for that certainly when I was growing up as a teenager you know trying to get into places I mean pubs are penalized they didn’t want to serve under 18 because they got stung with a really big fine,” she says.
Meanwhile, health commentator Ian Powell says the cuts show a deliberate undermining of the ministry’s capacity to regulate the tobacco industry.
The slashing of 134 health ministry jobs represents an 18 percent cut, much higher than the 6.5 to 7.5 percent Finance Minister Nicola Willis is deamnding of the public sector overall, and the cut in staff responsible for tobacco control is 38 percent.
Mr Powell says it could be argued the aim of the cuts is to protect and enhance the tobacco industry’s profitability.