Tobacco Facts 2003

Tobacco Facts 2003
Public Health Intelligence Occasional Report No 20
ISBN 0-478-25834-8 (Website)

Date of publication: December 2003

Summary

Tobacco smoking is a leading risk factor causing preventable deaths in New Zealand, and is responsible for approximately 15 percent of all deaths. In addition, second-hand cigarette smoke is now recognised to be a substantial health hazard. Tobacco is responsible for much of New Zealanders’ disease burden due to cardiovascular disease, many different cancers and other conditions.

Tobacco disproportionately impacts on Maori and Pacific people, and is a substantial contributor to the socioeconomically based inequalities in health. The report describes tobacco use through adult and youth survey data, and two types of data about the quantities of tobacco consumed.

The data in this report will contribute to targeting tobacco control initiatives and is relevant to tobacco control policy-makers and tobacco control agencies. Enhancements of New Zealand’s comprehensive tobacco control programme are needed to ensure continuing progress in limiting the harm caused by tobacco.

Comments on this report are welcomed, and should be sent to:
Public Health Intelligence
Ministry of Health
PO Box 5013
Wellington.

The decline in the prevalence of adult tobacco smoking has slowed, with only slight gradual decreases during the 1990s.

- Sustained decreases in smoking prevalence are found only for older age groups and for Europeans.
- In 2002, a quarter of adults were cigarette smokers.
- Smoking is particularly common among Maori (both males and females) and Pacific males.
- Among those aged under 30 years of age, smoking is more common for females than for males.

Survey data indicate no decrease in the average number of cigarettes consumed per adult smoker.

- Adult cigarette smokers smoke an average of 12 cigarettes per day.

Tobacco consumption per capita, as measured by tobacco products released and annual tobacco returns, increased from 2001 to 2002.
Youth smoking (14-and 15-year-old students) decreased in the 1999–2002 period in all gender ethnic groups except Maori females and Asian males.

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