Asthma Foundation
News Release

Asthma Foundation: ‘tobacco industry needs to be honest about tobacco licensing’

12 March 2010

“The tobacco industry should support an effective tobacco licensing system and stop proposing largely meaningless changes to the existing rules which are very ineffective,” says the Asthma Foundation’s Chief Executive, Jane Patterson.

Jane was referring to British American Tobacco’s (BAT’s) recent written submission to the Maori Affairs Select Committee inquiry into the tobacco industry in Aotearoa and the consequences of tobacco use for Maori.

In its submission BAT supports “strengthening current licensing arrangements”, which is misleading because tobacco sellers are not required to be licensed in New Zealand, although retailers that sell cigarettes to under 18s may be banned from selling cigarettes for up to three months.

BAT proposes “strengthening” the current system by requiring retailers to notify the Ministry of Health that they intend to sell tobacco and possibly facing a penalty if they do not notify as required. BAT also supports the use of infringement notices under the Smoke-free Environments Act rather than fines, to make enforcement “simpler.”

Jane says this is a blatant attempt to fudge the issue.

“While the notification idea has some merit, it is nowhere near enough if you have infringement notices being issued and tiny fines, which are not an incentive for retailers to take the law seriously, “Jane says.

“What we need is for a robust retailer licensing scheme to be introduced, so that retailers who break tobacco sales laws can have their licences to sell tobacco suspended or removed. In such a scheme, all retailers who wish to sell tobacco would have to apply for a licence.

“BAT supports ‘strengthening’ the current system because they know it is an inefficient way of controlling sales of tobacco. Currently, penalties are small and therefore provide little incentive for compliance.

“Removing a retailer’s licence would have a real effect on their tobacco-related income and the retailer would be far less likely to break the law again.”

Jane also spoke about yesterday’s oral submission to the committee by BAT New Zealand managing director, Graeme Amey, at which Mr Amey defended selling tobacco and denied marketing cigarettes to Maori.

“BAT is really not playing a constructive role and the Asthma Foundation calls upon the select committee to demand they come before the committee again and the committee get to see their internal marketing documents.”

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