NZ to become a smoking no-go area?

Approval for smoking ban still growing
02 October 2006



Nearly two years on from smoking being banned in all New Zealand pubs, support for the ban is still growing, according to a Ministry of Health survey released yesterday.

The survey found 82 per cent of people approved of the smoking ban in pubs, bars and nightclubs, up from 74 per cent in 2005 and just 61 per cent in 2004.

The percentage of smokers who approved of the ban had more than doubled since 2004 - 64 per cent now versus 29 per cent then.

Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor said the survey results were encouraging.

"It is particularly pleasing to see such a huge jump in the number of smokers who approve of the ban."

For restaurants, the percentage who approved of the ban was even higher - 90 per cent in total and 75 per cent of smokers.

The smokefree legislation, which came into force on December 10, 2004, banned smoking in the workplace.

That year, 21 per cent of people said they had been exposed to second-hand smoke in the workplace. This year, the percentage was still 8 per cent despite the blanket ban.

"Our goal is to see this number drop even further to ensure no one is exposed to second-hand smoke in their work environment," Mr O'Connor said.

- NZPA

AND.....

Proof that former smokers breathe easier
Monday October 2, 2006

WASHINGTON DC - Researchers report another benefit from quitting smoking: beneficial bacteria in the nose and throat soon return to normal levels.

Harmless microbes that reside in the nasal passages and throat help resist respiratory infections.

Researchers from Georgetown University in Washington DC found that former smokers enjoyed restored levels of "interfering bacteria".

- REUTERS

I have strong opinions (for a change) about smoking and smokers and most of it involves the words, weak, spineless, lack of control, dirty, smelly, thoughtless, selfish....so I won't go on unless I unwittingly offend anyone.....
BUT - freedom of choice people, freedom of choice. What are they gonna ban next?

Radical anti-smoke plan
Saturday October 21, 2006
By Martin Johnston

A controversial scheme for complete state control of New Zealand's tobacco industry is being given a fair hearing at the Ministry of Health.

Wellington public health researchers, planning for the "end-game" of tobacco control, have floated the idea of a non-profit tobacco authority to take over the distribution and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco, forcing out the three multinationals that now control the industry.

Under the scheme of Dr Nick Wilson and his Wellington School of Medicine colleagues, attractive or established names like Holiday, Marlboro and Rothmans would be wiped, with their distinctive packaging.

A single type of cigarette would be sold in plain packets featuring only health warnings and quit-smoking information.

The authority would regularly increase the price to deter smoking, using its income to help prevent children taking up the habit, expand quitting assistance and develop ways to reduce the harm caused by tobacco.

New Zealanders spend about $1.5 billion a year on tobacco, around 70 per cent of which goes to the Government in excise and goods and services tax.

British American Tobacco spokeswoman Susan Jones said yesterday of the scheme: "It smacks of state intervention on an unprecedented scale, which is unusual because we have got extensive regulation in place. We feel adequate controls are in place without imposing another level of bureaucracy."

While the ministry is not investigating the scheme, its chief adviser on public health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, welcomed it as "an interesting idea".

"Given the importance of tobacco control in terms of addressing a major health hazard in this country, I think it's always important to consider new ideas. Ten or 15 years ago the idea of smokefree pubs or clubs ... would have seemed quite outrageous, but now it's not only becoming the norm, it's widely supported."

Dr Wilson said that with its high death toll, tobacco was not a "sustainable" product. "Internationally, there's growing interest in defining a clear end-game to the tobacco problem. Because the tobacco industry opposes nearly every specific [control] action it would be helpful to reconfigure the whole game by removing the industry."

Dr Wilson said several Governments, including Japan's, owned their national tobacco industry, but none did so for public-health goals as he proposed. Some American states owned their liquor industry, which had led to reductions in harm from alcohol.

In New Zealand, the Government's main smoking-reduction tools are high tobacco tax, workplace bans, quit schemes coupled with subsidised nicotine-replacement therapy and mass advertising to discourage smoking around children in cars and in homes.

The ministry is drafting rules for larger health warnings on packets, including gruesome pictures of damaged lungs and the like, and is investigating tighter controls on cigarette displays at shop counters.

I hope they include the ban of tobacco advertising. Perhaps they should treat it like other drugs, and require prescriptions.

Increasing numbers try to kick smoking habit
30 October 2006

A big jump in the number of people trying to quit smoking has been attributed to increased publicity surrounding health effects on the smoker and their family.
Quitline, a group that aimed to help people lose the habit, has registered a 32 per cent increase in numbers calling their service.

Executive director Helen Glasgow said 8453 people registered on the programme in April, May and June this year, compared to 6384 in the same three months last year.
"People are starting to realise that smoking affects their health, as well as the health of their children," Ms Glasgow said.

Maori Services adviser Jon Royal said the number of Maori callers to the Quitline increased by 57 per cent, with 1904 registrations in April to June 2006 compared to 1210 in the same period last year.

He said Maori people who smoke should not be afraid to give quitting a go. "It's hard to quit but Maori need to take advantage of help on offer. There's Quitline, local health providers, whanau, friends and other quitters."

- NZPA

[MotherBear]

They're still kicking this one about.

Smokefree NZ within 10 years - ASH
NZPA | Wednesday, 5 September 2007

Anti-smoking campaigners are calling for New Zealand to be cigarette free within 10 years.

At the Oceania Tobacco Control Conference in Auckland today the groups said the priority was to get rid of cigarettes and smoked tobacco.

Among steps they advocated were the removal of retail displays, plain packaged cigarettes, increased tax on tobacco products, more support for people quitting, more alternatives to cigarettes and the staged removal of cigarettes from sale.

ASH NZ director Ben Youdan said their priority was getting rid of cigarettes and smoked tobacco by looking for alternatives, especially for those most addicted.

Current options such as nicotine patches and gum were one option but Mr Youdan wanted to see more innovation in this area.

Massey University professor Chris Cunningham suggested to the conference that more research be done into the use of a type of chewing tobacco, known as Snus, as an alternative for Maori smokers.

Mr Youdan agreed there might be a possibility of chewing tobacco helping people to give up smoking.

"Chewing is not necessarily the future but there are viable options to help people stop smoking and reduce the number of deaths."

Prof Cunningham looked specifically at Maori smokers because they had the "dubious distinction of being amongst the highest smoking populations in the world today".

He also highlighted the problem of some smokers who have tried repeatedly to quit and keep going back.

"I want to raise the question of whether harm minimisation is something we should look at on the way to being tobacco free."

Snus is a Swedish product. It is tobacco that is smokefree and has had the carcinogens removed. Its use has been shown to substantially reduce the incidence of lung cancer and research shows no increase in tongue or mouth cancer Prof Cunningham said.

Snus is popular throughout Scandinavia. It is packaged in small bags which can be placed under the tongue or inside the cheek and easily disposed of in its wrapping after use.

Prof Cunningham agreed Snus use may not fit in with the New Zealand culture but believes the option should be explored.

There are currently around 750,000 smokers in New Zealand and each year only 10,000 quit. With expanded quitting programmes Prof Cunningham believed the number of people quitting could be increased.

Chief executive of the Ministry of Pacific Affairs Colin Tukuitonga told the conference more research needed to be done into Pacific Islander smokers. One in three New Zealanders of Pacific Island descent smoke.

Language and cultural barriers were preventing Pacific Islanders from making use of current quitting programmes, Dr Tukuitonga said.

"Unless we launch an effective attack on Pacific people's rates of smoking, we will never address the unequal status of their health compared to other New Zealanders."

A new tool for people trying to quit smoking was launched at the conference. The Quit Group announced their new email support service.

Quit Group spokesperson Hayden Sanders said the emails were a series of useful tips sent out over eight months. They will include tips on dealing with stress and coping with cravings.

From here .

[MotherBear]

Another drag on a fag and you'll end up looking a hag
5:00AM Thursday September 06, 2007
By Martin Johnston


At age 72: (L) Normal age progression, (R) Smokers age progression

Smokers are being given the chance to peek into the future and see how a lifetime of cigarettes can wreak havoc with their looks as they age.

Researchers are trying to scare people off cigarettes by showing them computer-generated pictures of how much more old and haggard they might look if they carry on smoking.

Using a facial photo, the computer program produces two series of pictures of the person: one as they might look as an ageing smoker, the other as a non-smoker.

"Everyone wants to know what they will look like as a 75-year-old," said Dr Owen Carter (Do they? I sure as hell don't. Got enough to contend with right now ), of the Centre for Behavioural Science in Cancer Control at Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia.

More here .