RCPA Calls On New Zealand Government To Rethink Decision On Smoking Ban

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA)
calls on the New Zealand Government to rethink its plans to
repeal a law that would have gradually banned all cigarette
sales in the country. The RCPA had welcomed the new
legislation which, it says, would have had significant
public health benefits and warns that repealing these plans
puts New Zealander’s health at risk.

Dr Elizabeth
Roberts, RCPA Vice President New Zealand said,

“This
is a backwards step for public health. Smoking is the
leading cause of preventable deaths in New Zealand, and this
world-leading legislation offered the opportunity to prevent
illness, reduce disease and save lives. This is particularly
the case for the Māori community who continue to face
health inequities. New Zealand was set to become the first
country in the world to ban smoking for the next generation
and other countries such as the UK were looking to us to
inspire their own similar smoking legislation; it is simply
unfathomable that our government is backtracking on these
plans.

“Smoking harms almost every part of the body,
reduces life expectancy and quality of life, and increases
the risk of many conditions and diseases. This includes
cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, amongst many more,
all of which rely on pathology testing for diagnosis. As
pathologists we see first-hand the devastating effects that
smoking can have on the body, it is therefore even more
frustrating to see this opportunity taken away.”

The
new measures included banning sales or tobacco to anyone
born after 1 January 2009, reducing the amount of nicotine
allowed in smoked tobacco products, cutting the number of
retailers able to sell tobacco by over 90%.

“Our
goal of being smoke-free by 2025 felt within reach but now
feels so far. We appeal to the government to rethink their
decision to repeal the ban,” said Dr Roberts.

For
further information on the RCPA, please visit
www.rcpa.edu.au or see updates on Facebook – @PathologyRCPA,
X (formerly Twitter) – @RCPAPresident, @PathologyRCPA, or
Instagram – @the_rcpa #RCPA #pathology
#MedicineIsPathology.

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