Urgent Appeal to Reconsider the Repeals of the Smokefree Legislation
The Cancer Society Canterbury West Coast and Otago Southland divisions stand united with the overwhelming community opposition to the government’s recent decision to repeal Smokefree legislation.
This decision destroys our previous position as a world leader in tobacco and smoking control, and more importantly, will cost our country significantly in both loss of life and by burdening our healthcare system.
Read more in the open letters below from our trustees, and add your voice by using the link beneath to send a letter to your local MP.
Read the open letters
This is an open letter on behalf of the Board of the Canterbury West Coast Cancer Society. We are compelled to express our profound concern and disappointment regarding the recent decision to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act.
Firstly, we wish to emphasise that there is no mandate for the government to repeal this crucial legislation. The Cancer Society stands united with the overwhelming community opposition to this decision, and we implore the government to heed the voice of the people and reconsider this course of action.
Our attention is particularly drawn to the alarming fact that hospitals are inundated with individuals battling preventable diseases such as cancers, heart disease, stroke, and other afflictions caused by smoking. Smoking is responsible for 85% of lung cancers and 30% of cancers overall. The survival rates for lung cancer in the Southern region are among the worst in the country, and the most effective way to improve these outcomes in the long term is to prevent these diseases from occurring.
Modelling suggests that the smokefree laws could have saved thousands of lives each year, with a significant impact on the health of Māori communities. It is disheartening to contemplate the potential loss of life and the burden on our healthcare system if we abandon the progress made through the Smokefree Act.
Dr. Paul Dawkins, a respected Respiratory Physician and NZ branch president of TSANZ, rightly points out that New Zealand is currently one of the world leaders in tobacco and smoking control. It is unfathomable that a new government would abandon this progress, allowing big tobacco and the vaping industry to prioritise profits over the health and lives of New Zealanders.
Moreover, we wish to draw attention to the financial implications of repealing the Smokefree Act. While the repeal might provide an ongoing funding stream for the government, it shifts costs into the health system. The health system will continue to spend millions caring for people with avoidable illnesses for years to come. This move also results in the loss of the economic contribution of individuals who often become unable to work at a younger age due to smoking-related illnesses.
The Smokefree Act was not a prohibition but a strategic approach to gradually reduce access to smoking products. This method aimed to protect the next generation from the toxicity of smoking and relieve the health system of the burden of caring for avoidable illnesses and disabilities.
In conclusion, we urge the government to reconsider the repeal of the Smokefree Act, considering the overwhelming community opposition, the potential loss of lives, the financial implications, and the risk of allowing big tobacco and the vaping industry to compromise the health of our nation.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. We trust that the government will prioritise the well-being of New Zealanders and make decisions that will positively impact the health of current and future generations.
Sincerely,
Trustees of the Cancer Society Canterbury West Coast Division
This is an open letter on behalf of the Board of the Otago Southland Cancer Society. We are compelled to express our profound concern and disappointment regarding the recent decision to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act.
Firstly, we wish to emphasise that there is no mandate for the government to repeal this crucial legislation. The Cancer Society stands united with the overwhelming community opposition to this decision, and we implore the government to heed the voice of the people and reconsider this course of action.
Our attention is particularly drawn to the alarming fact that hospitals are inundated with individuals battling preventable diseases such as cancers, heart disease, stroke, and other afflictions caused by smoking. Smoking is responsible for 85% of lung cancers and 30% of cancers overall. The survival rates for lung cancer in the Southern region are among the worst in the country, and the most effective way to improve these outcomes in the long term is to prevent these diseases from occurring.
Modelling suggests that the smokefree laws could have saved thousands of lives each year, with a significant impact on the health of Māori communities. It is disheartening to contemplate the potential loss of life and the burden on our healthcare system if we abandon the progress made through the Smokefree Act.
Dr. Paul Dawkins, a respected Respiratory Physician and NZ branch president of TSANZ, rightly points out that New Zealand is currently one of the world leaders in tobacco and smoking control. It is unfathomable that a new government would abandon this progress, allowing big tobacco and the vaping industry to prioritise profits over the health and lives of New Zealanders.
Moreover, we wish to draw attention to the financial implications of repealing the Smokefree Act. While the repeal might provide an ongoing funding stream for the government, it shifts costs into the health system. The health system will continue to spend millions caring for people with avoidable illnesses for years to come. This move also results in the loss of the economic contribution of individuals who often become unable to work at a younger age due to smoking-related illnesses.
The Smokefree Act was not a prohibition but a strategic approach to gradually reduce access to smoking products. This method aimed to protect the next generation from the toxicity of smoking and relieve the health system of the burden of caring for avoidable illnesses and disabilities.
In conclusion, we urge the government to reconsider the repeal of the Smokefree Act, considering the overwhelming community opposition, the potential loss of lives, the financial implications, and the risk of allowing big tobacco and the vaping industry to compromise the health of our nation.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. We trust that the government will prioritise the well-being of New Zealanders and make decisions that will positively impact the health of current and future generations.
Sincerely,
Trustees of the Cancer Society Otago Southland Division