Te Arawa backs hike in price of tobacco

Greg Taipari | 6th January 2010

Te Arawa kaumatua are backing calls to increase the cost of tobacco to help discourage Maori from smoking.

The Ministry of Health is giving the clearest signal yet the Government is likely to increase the excise tax on cigarettes this year to help slash the number of people who smoke.

Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa chairman and pou herenga (iwi liaison) for the Lakes District Health Board Eru George said Maori were over represented in smoking statistics.

"You only have to look at the stats to identify where the downfall for Maori health is."

He said too many Maori were affected by health-related issues caused by smoking.

"What's happened in our culture is smoking has been part and parcel of it for a long time, we have grown up with it . . . I don't know if it [price rise] is a complete fix but it's somewhere to start."

Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell said he was also backing the idea.

"It's a policy [the Maori Party] wants to follow but it's only one of a number of avenues we are looking at."

Mr Flavell said along with lifting the cost of cigarettes, the Maori Party was interested in getting rid of tobacco advertising and making sure the right support packages were in place to help smokers wanting to quit.

"For some [Maori] many of our tangi have been caused by cancer-related illnesses from smoking."

Ministry of Health's deputy director-general Ashley Bloomfield has said officials had advised Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia on a tobacco tax rise.

"No final decisions have been taken, but it's something that's definitely being considered."

Smokers spend about $1.6 billion a year on tobacco, of which more than $1 billion is excise tax and GST. Last year, the excise tax was around $6 for a $10 pack of 20 cigarettes. The tax is increased annually in line with the consumer price index.

Smokefree campaigners have long pushed for a rise above the consumer price index. Smokefree Coalition's director Prudence Stone reportedly said when taxes on cigarettes went up, consumption went down immediately.

Although Aroha Mai Cancer Support Group supported the idea of tax increases, volunteer Bubsie Macfarlane said she would prefer to see smokers being educated rather than ostracised.

"I have mixed view on it. Is it going to be effective and how is it going to impact on those with a low income? Once again it will be them who will be affected most.

"Instead of ostracising them, lets offer them new solutions through education not only of the smokers but their families as well."