Urging principals, boards and school staff to join Hāpai Te Hauora and over 24,000 other people in signing their Petition to urgently call on the Government to stop the repeal of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act and stop prioritising profit over our people.
As you may know the new Government has agreed to repeal world-leading smokefree laws in its first 100 days in office. The Cancer Society (like many of our colleagues in health) is extremely disappointed with this decision. Cancer Society feel this is a backwards step for Aotearoa New Zealand and puts the tobacco industry’s profits ahead of the health of all New Zealanders – especially our children’s.
Tobacco is the deadliest consumer product of all time and still causes more than 2000 cancer deaths every year in New Zealand. The Cancer Society has a long history of advocating for smokefree policies and had welcomed the bold new smokefree laws that are desperately needed to make Smokefree 2025 a reality. “These laws would have made tobacco less available to buy in our communities, less addictive and would have stopped a whole generation from being able to buy tobacco,” says Cancer Society Chief Executive Dr Rachael Hart.
“The public has spoken loud and clear on the subject. The significant support from communities across the country is evidenced by the thousands of submissions made. Beyond that local support, we could also boast they were world-leading with other countries, such as the Conservative UK Government, starting to follow our example”.
The Cancer Society is united with its health sector allies and our community and calls on the new Government to implement the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act as intended.
We would encourage all advocates for health and for young people to utilise their networks and connections particularly community organisations and advocates to urge the Coalition government to re-consider its decision to repeal the Smokefree legislation.
Join Hāpai Te Hauora and over 24,000 other people in signing their Petition to urgently call on the Government to stop the repeal of the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act and stop prioritising profit over our people.
You can Sign here: Put our People over Profit – Stop the Repeal of the Smokefree Legislation | OurActionStation
We appreciate that many of you may need to do this in a private capacity through your private correspondence.
We are also asking concerned citizens to write to their to their local MP’s and the Associate Health Minister Hon Matt Doocey. We do have a simple toolkit to help with this so do let me know if you would like a copy of the toolkit.
Please join us is raising our voices to show our disappointment of this decision by the incoming government.
Ngā mihi,
Amanda Dodd
Deputy Health Promotion Manager