Māori smoking rates have barely changed since 2011, and the Government is not doing enough to address tobacco-related harm amongst Māori, say leading tobacco researchers and public health advocates.
The Government’s actions on the Māori Affairs Select Committee’s 2010 recommendations for addressing tobacco-related harm have been reviewed and published in the New Zealand Medical Journal. This review shows, five years on, little or no progress on several key measures recommended in the Committee’s report. “Only eight out of 42 recommendations have been fully implemented and we believe the failure to complete or adequately advance the remaining 34 recommendations is hindering progress towards the Smokefree 2025 goal, particularly for Māori,” conclude the review authors.
Further Information
To find out more or to request a copy of the letter, please contact:
Richard Edwards
University of Otago, Wellington
email richard.edwards@otago.ac.nz