KEY POINTS:
The owners of Kaitaia's VIP Dairy boast theirs is the first dairy in the area to go smokefree - now all they have to do is kick the habit themselves.
Sheryl Stankovich and Ham Petera have lost money since banning tobacco, filters, lighters, matches and papers from their shelves. But they don't care. "We decided that we didn't want to be responsible for putting smoke into the lungs of our community," said Stankovich. "We are trying to be socially responsible."
The couple hated dealing with underage youngsters trying to buy tobacco for themselves or their parents and felt bad about contributing to Northland's problems with smoking-related diseases.
They prepared for the potential financial loss to their South Rd business by creating other streams of revenue by introducing an internet area and selling more fruit and home baking.
Stankovich said they were doing okay financially and it felt good to make a positive difference. And she joked they were unlikely to be held up by robbers demanding cigarettes. "You never hear of anyone coming into rob a dairy for a block of butter, eh?"
Stankovich said many people supported the move and hoped other shops followed their lead.
They have been congratulated by customers, and have received letters of support from schools, health groups, Sport Northland and Action on Smoking and Health.
Smokefree Coalition director Mark Peck said probably fewer than a dozen dairies in the country had banned tobacco. Cancer Society tobacco control adviser Belinda Hughes said there were no firm figures but she believed more businesses were taking a stand. "You can do nothing but applaud these people for being community-minded. They're showing the way for other companies."
Stankovich and Petera are desperate to practise what they preach. They have smoked for more than 20 years but are doing it tough on patches and gum. Stankovich, 52, had a smoke a week ago, but is determined to kick the habit completely so she's around for her two children and five grandchildren.
