Future Tobacco Control Policy

Future Directions of Tobacco Control: An advocacy NGO

perspective

Becky Freeman, Director

Future Tobacco Control Policy

I’ve been thinking…

• Why do some of our political leaders seem to think “tobacco has been done”?

Future Tobacco Control Policy

I’ve been thinking…

• We know exactly how to reduce tobacco use, but we are just not doing it!

• We have the WAY but where is the WILL?

• Where is the leadership?

Future Tobacco Control Policy

Where are we now?

• NZ population smoking rate of 23.5% - higher than Australia, Canada, Sweden, and California

• Slow decline over the past 10 years

• Huge disparities in smoking rates across different ethnic groups

Future Tobacco Control Policy

The good things we have

• Workplace smoking ban and high rates of smokefree homes

• World class quit line service which includes provision of subsidised NRT

• A committed and passionate workforce that work with the limited resources they have

• News and popular media coverage of smokefree is excellent

Future Tobacco Control Policy

What is holding us back?

• The five year plan – it hasn't been fully enacted

• Competitive funding paradigm• A lack of focus and leadership following

the workplace ban• Where are coordination services heading?• Where is tobacco as a priority in relation to He Ha

etc. ?• Where is the infrastructure to enable us to work

together?

Future Tobacco Control Policy

Gaps to be filled

• No real tax increase since 2000

• Not addressing the increase in smoking of roll-your-own tobacco

• Lagging behind in terms of implementation of picture warnings and display bans

• Unregulated tobacco industry and no national strategy to denormalise the industry

Future Tobacco Control Policy

Gaps to be filled• Lack of empowerment programs and mass

media campaigns for youth• Serious workforce capacity issues –

including at the Ministry of Health level and the community level

• Development of infrastructure to support “collaboration” and “partnership” – we must stop paying lip service to these health promotion words

Future Tobacco Control Policy

• Tobacco taxes are among the highest in the world, including equalising tax on rollies

• Tobacco budget is reflective to the scale of the problem and funding is allocated where it is most needed

• Large picture warnings on all products

• No tobacco displays at retail

My vision over the next five years

Future Tobacco Control Policy

My vision over the next five years

• Limited number of retailers selling tobacco

• No branding elements on tobacco packages

• No duty free tobacco

» Comprehensive tobacco control plan is fully enacted, including denormalisation of the industry

Future Tobacco Control Policy

My vision over the next five years

• NZ is a world leader in strictly regulating the industry and their products

• End of tobacco-related health disparities

• Population smoking rate no higher than 15%, among the lowest in the developed world, and on track to hit less than 5% in ten years

Future Tobacco Control Policy

…and only then will tobacco be truly “done”