I am invited to Pukemokemoke Marae to celebrate the launch of the Regional Tobacco Strategy for Hawke's Bay 2015-2020.
I sit with my friend Michele Grigg, Hawke's Bay District Health Board population health adviser smokefree lead. I note dignitaries mayor Bill Dalton, councillors Maxine Boag and councillor Sandra Hazlehurst in attendance. Hawke's Bay District Health Board chairman Kevin Atkinson, chief executive Kevin Snee there to support. Prudence Stone, National Smokefree Coalition, Rosemary Marriot, local smokefree champion, are also present to witness and support this event.
Michele shares it has only taken her three months to develop this strategy. Having experienced writing strategy for the Hawke's Bay DHB, I am aware of the huge effort it takes. Drafts are presented for feedback and endorsement by various committees, not to mention obtaining meaningful community input and maintaining solid partnerships with other agencies. True 'co-design' influenced by Hawke's Bay Smokefree Coalition and community. Partnerships across our district will be needed to meet this ambitious Smokefree 2025 goal our government has adopted. An aspirational goal of reducing smoking prevalence to less than 5 per cent by 2025. In order to reach the 2025 Smokefree target, the number of Hawke's Bay people quitting will need to triple. Tobacco use is not equitably spread across the population. Maori smoking rates are more than double of others. Maori women aged 20-29 years have the highest smoking rates of all groups and almost half of the smoking population in Hawke's Bay live in the most deprived areas. Of most concern is the statistic that 42 per cent of our pregnant Maori women smoke during pregnancy. The health effects of tobacco on these unborn children is worrying. Fortunately we have great leadership with Ngati Kahungunu Iwi who have their Tupeka Kore (Tobacco Free) strategy. One strategy Ngati Kahungunu Iwi has adopted is to reduce supply by working with retailers selling tobacco. The majority of retailers who sell tobacco are convenience stores - dairies. Ongoing education and advocacy with these retailers has resulted in some retailers deciding not to sell tobacco. Both Hastings District Council and Napier City need to be acknowledged for their commitment. Evidence presented by the District Health Board has enabled bold steps to strengthen councils' smokefree policy which has resulted in the following. July 1 onwards the following will be implemented - smokefree areas include outdoor dining areas (in public spaces), smokefree 10 metre perimeters around bus shelters and 10 metre smokefree perimeters from entrance ways to council buildings - libraries, etc. Hastings District has included parts of central Hastings city. Non punitive, informing and educational - this is a courageous step and a great example of councils working together. For those of us who do not smoke - we forget how difficult it can be for those recently quit to remain smokefree. Comments from people who have recently quit smoking describe how difficult it is to go into the central city areas where they see (and smell) people smoking. Submitters tell us how important it is to not be around those that smoke. For some this causes people to relapse and have a cigarette. Having consumer feedback is particularly powerful and creates an understanding of the powerful addictive nature of cigarette smoking. Of concern are comments from young mums - 'As long as my son has food I am happy with a coffee and cigarette'. For younger smokers price is an important motivator for quitting, along with fitness. Gyms and weights would help me quit, if the price goes up - it makes it unaffordable.
As mentioned by speakers, we have certainly made progress. Some of us remember smoking areas on planes, as a registered nurse smoking on the ward, smoking in pubs, smoking in workplaces, teachers smoking in class. So yes we have come a long way but it is going to take some serious commitment by all of us to meet our smokefree 2025 goal. Young people are particularly keen on increasing the price of tobacco, pictorial warnings on tobacco packs and also support the use of e-cigarettes. As one wise Wairoa College student articulated during consultation with the strategy - 'why don't we just ban the production of cigarettes and tobacco'. One thing we all agree on is that it will take the commitment of all of us to create a Smokefree Hawke's Bay. It is going to take all our collective efforts.
- Ana Apatu is chief executive of the U-Turn Trust, based at Te Aranga Marae in Flaxmere.
