ASH applauds Finnish plans to phase out smoking


Finland is set to become the fist country to completely phase out smoking.

New laws banning the display of tobacco products smoking in cars carrying children are the start of what the Finnish State Secretary describes as getting rid of tobacco "once and for all".

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) says that this approach is exactly what is needed in this country.

“We need to set a clear deadline to get rid of smoking and remind ourselves this is an urgent health priority. The Maori affairs Select Committee inquiry into tobacco is our chance to call for that deadline,” says ASH director Ben Youdan.

“The tobacco industry needs to be held to account and it looks like Finland intends to do exactly that.”

“We need to set our sights on making New Zealand a tobacco free nation by 2020 and it is our hope that the inquiry is the starting point for this,” concludes Mr Youdan.

New Zealand’s smokefree community has worked on a vision for a tobacco free New Zealand by 2020 since 2007.

Last year the Maori Affairs Committee launched an inquiry into the tobacco industry in Aotearoa and the consequences of tobacco use for Maori.

The committee intends to report its findings and recommendations of the inquiry to Parliament.

Submissions to the committee are due by Friday 29 January 2010.