Letters: Tackle tobacco use like the vape crackdown; this Government needs to show some kindness

The Government is moving to ban disposable vapes and hike fines for selling to under 18s. Photo / 123RF

Tackling tobacco is next step

The coalition Government’s proposal to ban disposable vaping devices sounds like a good idea.

I hope that the ban applies not only to retail sale but also to importation and local manufacture of such products.

I would like the same strategy to apply to tobacco cigarettes. We could ban the retail sale, manufacture and importation of ‘tailor-made’ cigarettes but still allow access to pipe tobacco and role-your-own tobacco.

That would surely reduce the smoking rate of young persons but allow older, hard-core smokers to continue towards death from lung cancer.

Peter D Graham, Helensville.

Child welfare

A couple of recent Herald correspondents have suggested that the impact on the children of anti-social Kāinga Ora tenants should not deter them from evicting families.

One suggested that concern for such children is “hand-wringing” and that whatever fate befalls the children is simply the responsibility of the parents, while another points out that judges don’t allow murderers to escape jail because they have children.

I think these arguments are missing the point, which is the welfare of innocent children. Questioning how children would be provided for in the event of a family’s eviction is a natural instinct for most people.

A satisfactory response might be one that sets out how appropriate government agencies would step in, should innocent children end up on the street.

Concern for children, including those of badly behaving parents, is not hyper-empathetic, or unique to those with left-wing political views. It’s human.

Rowan Hill, Mt Eden.

Show some kindness

The Ardern Government promoted the word “kindness”, but this Government is the antithesis of that.

Rather, they are modelling themselves on gang behaviour by using intimidating tactics, especially towards the most vulnerable. Boot camps, Kāinga Ora evictions, reduction of support for those caring for the disabled and all of this contrasting with tax relief for landlords and not a word regarding the $2 billion to $5b white collar crime.

Kāinga Ora evictions show there has been no analysis of the processes at play here. Having worked in mental health for 45 years, 28 of which were in forensic psychiatry, I can tell you that these problems are being conflated into more than they are.

Conflict is a two-way process, or in other words, a personality clash. However, some people are vulnerable to becoming anti-social in these situations.

I agree with Chris Hipkins, that moving people usually solves the problem as they often move near to people who they don’t clash with. This is important, as punishment with evictions will ensure that these behavioural patterns will become inter-generational.

I believe that this sort of simplistic solution is akin to state abuse of children.

I would urge Christopher Luxon to take a leaf out of Ardern’s book and show a little kindness, especially towards children.

Niall Robertson, Balmoral.

Bad manners

According to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer it is culturally acceptable for a student to spit on the ground in front of a Crown minister because he disagrees with his policies (NZ Herald, March 20).

However, she needs to be sensitive to the fact that many people do not find this acceptable. In fact they find it unhealthy, abhorrent and downright rude in the context of which this gesture was made.

Are we now to accept that anybody can make this gesture at any time without regard to the feelings of others? Will students now be able to spit on the ground in front of a teacher if that pupil feels the need to show displeasure at a teacher’s attempt to reprimand him or her because it is culturally acceptable to do this?

I was brought up with the knowledge that to spit in public was bad manners. I now learn that there are exceptions to this rule and that if I don’t accept this sudden reversal in civilised behaviour then I run the risk of being labelled culturally ignorant and insensitive.

Bernard Walker, Papamoa.

No place today

There are extensive guidelines of customs and protocols for entering a marae. These are out of respect and are to be observed by Māori and Pākehā alike such as we remove our shoes when entering the wharenui (meeting house).

Debbie Ngarewa-Packer should consult with her Irish mother’s heritage and understand that not all pre-European Māori customs translate well in a modern multicultural environment. I can think of more than a few.

Spitting has no place today.

Michael Smith, Waitākere.

Fronting up

Media and Communications Minister Melissa Lee’s so-called no-show on not fronting for two scheduled interviews has similarities with Jacinda Ardern refusing to front up to Mike Hosking when the going got tough.

But these people are in jobs where fronting up and explaining their actions is important to those who employ them, namely the voting public. If you can’t do the job and front up then don’t be a politician.

Paul Beck, West Harbour.