KEY POINTS:
Almost half of New Zealand's smokers believe point-of-sale cigarette displays should be banned, a Cancer Society survey has found.
However, Dunedin Green MP Metiria Turei believes there is little chance the displays will be outlawed, as the two major political parties are unlikely to back such a proposal.
Speaking after a Cancer Society of New Zealand survey showed 46 per cent of smokers had tried to quit in the past year, and 45 per cent believed point-of-sale advertising made quitting difficult, Mrs Turei said only the Green Party and Maori Party were likely supporters of the societys call to ban the displays.
In the survey, 44 per cent of smokers said they would support a complete ban on the displays, while 68 per cent of all respondents said they would support a total ban. Of the smokers surveyed, 36 per cent said the displays triggered impulse buying.
Mrs Turei said there was an acceptance in New Zealand that cigarettes had their rightful place. The two main political parties showed little interest in a ban, as they were scared of the 'old fogy' attitude that cigarettes were normal, and the numbers of voters who agreed with that view.
"They'll happily tax it. But when it actually comes to serious promotion of public health issues, it's very different."
Another difficulty in banning point-of-sale displays would come from a possible breach of Bill of Rights laws around freedom of speech, she said.
"So MPs can be reluctant, and so they should be, to breach the Bill of Eights."
Kerry Baser, of Dunedin, a production assistant at Channel Nine, said she had tried to quit the habit 'at least four times', but had never quite managed to. Being confronted by prominent cigarette displays was harrowing during those times, she said.
"I know cigarettes are damaging my health. But when you quit smoking, for that first week, your brain almost shuts down. You forget what you're doing, you forget where your card is in your purse. All you can think about is, 'Oh, it would be so nice to have a relaxing cigarette.'
"You're looking around as soon as you walk into a shop. And as soon as you see them, you think, 'Oh, yes.' If it's out of sight, it's out of mind."
Dunedin Cancer Society health promotions co-ordinator Penelope Scott said the survey proved the displays were contributing to the country's smoking levels.
"To walk into a garage or a dairy and just see the huge amount of tobacco for sale is that appropriate when it creates a huge amount of havoc in people's lives? We are very used to it, but it's a very addictive substance and it is very hard for people to quit."
Mrs Turei said the only point of tobacco advertising was to get people to start. Once they had started, they were hooked.
"But the thing about getting cigarettes out of sight is that it denormalises them. That's very important for children who grow up thinking this is a normal consumer product.
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES
