Tobacco Control and SmokingTobacco Control in New Zealand
New Zealand's progressNew Zealand has been at the forefront of tobacco control internationally for some time and has made steady progress in reducing smoking prevalence and tobacco consumption.
Deaths from smokingNevertheless, smoking remains the single biggest cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in New Zealand. It is estimated that half of all long-term smokers die of a smoking related illness.
About 5,000 deaths each year in New Zealand are attributable to direct smoking or second hand smoke. Overall, smoking prevalence is now 23.5 percent and consumption is around 1,000 cigarettes per adult (aged 15+) each year, down from 2,000 cigarettes in 1990.
Smoking prevalenceWhile smoking prevalence in New Zealand has declined over time, more than 700,000 New Zealanders, or just over one fifth of the adult population (aged 15+ years), still smoke on a regular basis.
Effects on the bodySmoking harms nearly every organ and system in the body. It is the cause of 80 percent of lung cancer cases and is linked to many other cancers. It is a major cause of heart attacks, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking can also cause blindness, impotence and infertility.
Smokefree workplacesOn 10 December 2004, New Zealand became the third country in the world to make all indoor workplaces including bars and restaurants smokefree, just behind Ireland and Norway.
Stop smoking initiativesThe Ministry of Health is working on a number of initiatives in its continual efforts to fight the tobacco epidemic. These include the introduction of pictorial warnings on tobacco packages, increased access to Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and a review of tobacco displays in New Zealand.
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