Health professionals say smokefree law repeal is a step backwards

Health professionals are saying the government’s decision to repeal laws that will not allow children born from 2009 onwards to smoke, is a step backwards for the health of young New Zealanders.

The new National-Act-NZ First coalition Government have proposed a repeal of the Smokefree Amendments Act, introduced by the Labour Government. The legislation was introduced in 2022, and formally came into action on the 1st of January this year.

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians President Dr Stephen Inns says plans to reverse the legislation is a huge step backwards for the country.

“It’s disappointing for us that such groundbreaking legislation, something we know could make a difference to our people, should be thrown away like this.”

Dr Inns said there is a lot of evidence that smoke free laws benefit the health of communities.

“There’s real benefit and evidence for reducing smoking in our population, and anything that doesn’t keep pushing forward is a step backwards if you like.

“We’ve done well over the last decade reducing smoking in Aotearoa but we have to keep going, pushing and get to everyone.”

Watch the full interview with Dr Inns below:

Inns adds that New Zealand has had its reputation for anti-smoking laws turned upside down because of this proposal.

“We’ve gone from being a country where people were looking to see what step we might take next, and to model that. To being a place where we can fall so quickly behind.

“That’s quite a change, and there wasn’t much discussion in the lead up to it. I think that’s why there’s been so much surprise amongst our health care professional community.”

The effects of smoking is one of the highest causes of health issues in the country for Pacific peoples. The President of the New Zealand Dental Association Dr Amanda Johnston says the reversal of the legislation will do more harm than for at risk communities.

“Unfortunately Pacific people in New Zealand are about twice as likely to smoke than the general population. Unfortunately access to doctors and dentists for Pasifika is at a lower rate.

“Smoking has some really detrimental effects on the health of the mouth, and on the body. If you smoke you’re much more likely to get cancer on the mouth and throat.”

Dr Johnston says the New Zealand Dental Association were fully supportive of the previous government's measures.

“We are really strongly supportive of all measures that will disincentivize tobacco smoking. This was going to be a really great way to make smoking illegal for a whole generation. I think it’s a whole disadvantage.

“We just want people to stop smoking. Making it against the law for the next generation seemed like a logical stat to us.”

Dr Johnston adds that if the proposed reversal of the legislation goes ahead, their pursuit to improve better oral health for communities won’t stop.

“We would never stop working on it, we will always be advising with patients on smoking. We’re not going to stop that work. Smoking of every kind is bad for you, we’ll go on advocating against smoking.”

Watch the full interview with Dr Johnston below: