Smokefree legislation to have its third reading this week. Photo / 123rf
Smokefree legislation to have its third reading this week. Photo / 123rf
Opinion by Selah Hart
OPINION:
The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill is due for its third reading in Parliament this week, a result of a long and impressive journey. The amendments in the bill have been recommendations since the 2010 Māori Affairs Select Committee Report identified the damage inflicted on New Zealanders by tobacco and those who profit from it.
Twelve people a day, every day, continue to die from tobacco use, with Māori disproportionately represented in this number. It stretches credibility to believe that, 13 years later, those that are opposed to this bill are asking for more time.
The influence of tobacco companies on our democracy and legislative process must stop. The interest of these companies has always been profit, at the expense of our communities.
There simply is no time to delay, and the ridiculous notion that staggering implementation is somehow reasonable is in fact irresponsible and goes against both the convincing scientific evidence and principles of public health. There have been almost 13 years for businesses that profit from selling smoked tobacco to pivot to products that don’t kill half the people that use them.
The Smokefree Action Plan is already more than a decade overdue; that equates to more than 50,000 loved ones and whānau members who have suffered horrendously and died.
It is no surprise that dairies and convenience stores are at the forefront of opposition when tobacco companies such as British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco are members of the Association of Convenience Stores. Over decades, big tobacco companies have deliberately created financial dependence where small businesses such as dairies have become reliant on peddling poison to their neighbours.
Hapai Te Hauora CEO Selah Hart. Photo / Supplied
Unfortunately, the evidence doesn’t support the argument that convenience stores will go out of business by acting in the best interests of their community and ceasing sales of tobacco. Independent studies show that a low proportion of transactions come from tobacco, only 14 per cent of sales, and that only 5.5 per cent of sales of tobacco also include another product.
On the surface, it seems that tobacco companies have created a smoke screen where they appear to be relatively quiet in submissions to the government, but they are represented by those who continue to demand profit from the loss of lives that addiction to smoked tobacco causes.
Dairy owners deserve to stop being used by tobacco companies to boost profits. The very real issue of harm towards dairy owners, increasing robberies and ram raids, and deadly violence are a result of a business model based on exploitation.
Harm-reduction efforts should include supporting retailers who are at risk of bearing further damage from selling tobacco. Investment needs to come from the tobacco industry to ensure security for the 600 remaining retailers that continue to sell such dangerous products, and an amortisation or buyback programme for cigarettes during the transition period.
It is important not to lose sight of who has created and maintains control over this discussion. While our current focus is on smoked tobacco, the industry continues to recruit new users through alternative products like vaping and snus.
Tobacco companies continue to manipulate our communities, directing profit into their own bank accounts at our expense. New Zealand can not allow tobacco companies to continue to manipulate, divide and conquer, and this bill finally provides the opportunity to take back control.
Selah Hart is the CEO of Hāpai Te Hauora, the largest Māori Public Health organisation in New Zealand. Hāpai is a national leader in population health, health promotion and education, policy, advocacy, research & evaluation, and infrastructure services.
