Media Release

12 June 2007

Giving up smoking remains the best way for smokers to live longer

Giving up smoking reduces people's chances of dying from chronic diseases including smoking related lung diseases, cardiovascular disease and smoking-related cancers the Ministry of Health says.

The comments follow the release of research findings about lung damage in former smokers.

Chief Advisor Public Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, says chronic lung disease is a serious side effect of smoking and can be debilitating and even fatal. This new study shows that microscopic inflammatory changes seem to persist in smokers with chronic lung disease. But more importantly, as the authors also point out, quitting increases survival, reduces hospital admissions and reduces the rate of decline in lung function. These are likely to be the outcomes that matter to smokers.

"So if the question is should smokers - including those with chronic lung disease - do everything they can to give up? The answer is absolutely," Dr Bloomfield says.

"Should the message be that people should not start smoking in the first place? The answer again is absolutely. Only last week, the Ministry released research showing that almost three quarters of 15 to 19 year olds who currently smoke say that if they had their life again they would not smoke. If you don't smoke, don't start - you will regret it."

It is pleasing that smoking rates amongst young people continue to decline, but we are working hard to see them drop even faster, Dr Bloomfield says.

Reducing smoking rates is a Government priority. This year's Budget dedicated an additional $43.6 million to tobacco control over the next four years, with around $32 million dollars of that funding dedicated to smoking cessation initiatives.

ENDS

For further information about tobacco control and smoking please refer to: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/tobacco-questions-answers

For further information, please contact Lucy Taylor, Media Advisor, ph: 04 496 2349