Don’t Quit on Quitting

Don’t Quit on Quitting

New Zealand’s leading cessation service Quitline believes the smokefree target for 2025 is achievable with increased efforts to help smokers quit and stay quit.

“In 2006 20.7% of New Zealanders smoked. Seven years later, in 2013 it was down to 15.1% which means 26,714 fewer smokers each year. That was achieved by a mix of regulation, social marketing and cessation support” says Paula Snowden of Quitline.

To get the smoking rates down to below 5% we need to take things to the next stage:

• Plain packs
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• Efficient cessation services at the levels needed to support populations of greatest prevalence
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• Next generation of cessation aids
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• Tax increases
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• Restrict tobacco supply and control product content
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• Expand smokefree environments
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• Target tobacco industry profiteering

Paula continues: “A focus on better cessation support is important for the Smokefree 2025 Goal but we also need to think about creating the right environment to help the person quitting smoking. Australia has recognised this with the introduction of Plain Packaging and is already getting great returns. The UK and Ireland have recently moved to do the same.

“Research shows that while quit results are better with support, many people do quit unassisted so the policy and regulation that discourages people from starting and supports people stay quit must also be a priority for Government.”

For further information on achieving the Smokefree Goal see the National Smokefree Working Group’s Action Plan 2015-2018: www.sfc.org.nz/documents/nsfwg-action-plan-2015-2018.pdf

ENDS

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