Plunket welcomes Select Committee Report

Media Release
November 3 2010
For immediate release

Plunket welcomes Māori Affairs Select Committee Report

Plunket has welcomed the report and recommendations of the Māori Affairs Select Committee on the tobacco industry in New Zealand.

Plunket General Manager Māori Health Services, Sonya Rimene, acknowledged the work that went into the report, and said any step towards helping whānau in New Zealand become smoke free was welcome.

Statistics from a 2008 Ministry of Health survey found that 46 per cent of Māori were current smokers, compared with 21 per cent of non- Māori. It also found that Māori women had the highest smoking rates, at 49 per cent.

“Statistics tell us that Māori make up the highest number of smokers in New Zealand. This issue is not just about the individuals, it’s about whānau responsibility and obligation. Therefore, Plunket welcomes proposed measures such as plain packaging and banning point of sale tobacco displays, which will support Māori to put their hand up to quit smoking,” she said.

“As an advocate of whānau awhina, whānau ora Plunket supports smoke free homes, environments and communities,” she said.

Plunket advocates a smoke free pregnancy and household, and being smoke free is one of the three key factors in aiding safe sleeping for a baby along with ‘face up’ and ‘face clear’.

Smoking around babies can make them sick. While smoking outside is better than smoking inside, Plunket believes a smoke free household is the best protection for everyone.

ENDS

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