Smokefree In Good Hands With New Health Minister

“The appointment of Dr Ayesha Verrall as New
Zealand’s Health Minister is good news for the country’s
collective effort to achieve Smokefree Aotearoa 2025,”
says Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA
(Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction
Advocates).

Nancy Loucas is calling
on the new Health Minister to ensure greater compliance of
the retail rules via the Vaping Regulatory
Authority.

“Dr Verrall understands better than
anyone that to eradicate the harm from combustible tobacco,
viable safer nicotine products must be available for smokers
to successfully make the switch,” says Ms
Loucas.

Her comments follow new Prime Minister Chris
Hipkins elevating Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to number eight in
the Cabinet, naming her as Minister of Health. She is also
now Minister for Research, Science, and Innovation.
Previously she was Associate Health Minister.

“The
Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco)
Amendment Act was Dr Verrall’s baby. It will decrease the
number of retail outlets able to sell tobacco, reduce the
appeal of cigarettes, and ensure the next generation is
never sold tobacco,” she says.

Ms Loucas says during
last year’s debates, Dr Verrall was determined to keep her
eye on the prize and not relitigate the 2020 vaping
legislation despite pressure from lobby groups.

“She
appreciates the role of vaping in Smokefree 2025 and remains
100% focused on combustible tobacco – the real scourge and
killer in our society,” says Ms Loucas.

CAPHRA
points to Dr Verrall’s comments last year, when she
reiterated the importance of providing Kiwi adults’ access
to safer nicotine products: ‘We need to continue
supporting people who smoke tobacco to successfully switch
to less harmful products,’ said the then Associate Health
Minister.

New Zealand’s THR strategy is working
well. Last year, it was revealed that New Zealand’s
smoking rate had fallen to an historic low of 8% of adults
smoking daily. It has more than halved in the past
decade.

“We just ask the new Minister not to buy
into the growing manufactured hysteria around nicotine.
Nicotine vaping doesn’t kill. Rather, it’s combustible
cigarettes that lead to 5,000 Kiwis dying from smoking-rated
illness each year,” she says.

Ms Loucas also calls
on the new Health Minister to ensure greater compliance of
the retail rules via the Vaping Regulatory
Authority.

“We need more resources directed towards
enforcement to stop the likes of rogue retailers selling
vape products to minors. We also need to see greater
parental responsibility,” she says.

“Dr Verrall
knows that vaping products are key, and Kiwis quitting
smoking must be able to maintain comparable nicotine levels.
Nicotine vaping is the best way for individuals to quit
cigarettes and for New Zealand to achieve smokefree. The
country’s new, progressive Health Minister will also be a
big help,” says Nancy Loucas.

To have your say,
before 5.00pm on 15 March, on the latest ‘Proposals for
the Smoked Tobacco Regulatory Regime’, visit https://www.health.govt.nz/publication/proposals-smoked-tobacco-regulatory-regime

For
a free digital media repository on tobacco harm reduction in
Asia Pacific – including media releases, images, and
graphics – please visit https://apthrmedia.org

About
CAPHRA

The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm
Advocates (CAPHRA) is a regional alliance of consumer
tobacco harm reduction advocacy organizations. Its mission
is to educate, advocate and represent the right of adult
alternative nicotine consumers to access and use of products
that reduce harm from tobacco use.

https://caphraorg.net/

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