Tobacco Inquiry Debate
Mr Speaker – I’d like to dedicate this short speech to some very special people. To Huhana Mihinui, who filed the Waitangi Tribunal claim to eliminate smoking among Maori; To Maori Marsden, Ngaitakoto elder, rangatira, tohunga, mentor, and orator – whose death from smoking made me so angry that I gave up the day he [...]
Tobacco Kills: 6 July 2010
The Maori Affairs Select Committee Inquiry into the Tobacco Industry has just completed a couple of big weeks. Two weeks ago we were privileged to have Dr Jeffrey Wigand before us. He’s the guy that Russell Crowe played in the movie “The Insider”, the true story of Wigand’s five years working for the tobacco industry, [...]
Turia pleased with tobacco sale prosecution (Turia)
Tariana Turia says the conviction of a Manurewa dairy owner should send a clear message that breaches of the smoke-free legislation will not be tolerated. The store owner was convicted and fined $1000 in the Manukau District Court yesterday for selling cigarettes to a person under 18-years-old. “These retailers are clearly putting their own personal [...]
Turia commends stop smoking superwoman (Turia)
Tariana Turia today congratulated Tainui woman and pharmacy assistant Te Ana Simmonds for the work she has been doing to help free people from the smoking addiction. “Te Ana is truly amazing. Here we have a person who has taken her own initiative to help the community she loves for no other reason but that [...]
Government gives smokers extra help to quit (Turia)
Nicotine patches, gum and lozenges will be made cheaper for smokers wanting to quit the deadly habit which kills about 5000 New Zealanders every year, Tariana Turia announced today. Furthermore, as of September 1, the three forms of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can also be prescribed by general practitioners (GPs). “Smokers usually use two forms [...]
Turia welcomes decision to prosecute tobacco company (Turia)
Tariana Turia has described the daughter of a long-time smoker as “courageous” for winning a case against a tobacco giant. This week, a federal jury in the United States decided cigarette maker Philip Morris USA should pay US$13.8 million in punitive damages to Jodie Bullock whose mother Betty Bullock died of lung cancer in 2003. [...]
‘Kick butt: No Smoking Whanganui’ (Turia)
This week is the inaugural No Smoking Whanganui Week and I am putting my full support behind it for one simple reason – I want our families and children to live fuller and better lives. The initiative is not an attack on smokers but to inspire and support them to give quitting a go. So [...]
Turia has welcomed a new strategy for tobacco control research (Turia)
“This strategy enables us all to take a long-term perspective on what will be the most effective investment of health funding to reduce tobacco related illnesses.” Agencies in New Zealand who undertake study related to tobacco control had worked together to develop proposals for a co-ordinated approach to their research. “I commend the researchers for [...]
Turia reiterates smoking kills message to dairies (Turia)
The New Zealand Association of Convenience Stores needs to stop hiding behind their tobacco displays and face the fact that the products they sell kill. “One does not need to understand retailing businesses to know that over a 10 year period 50,000 people have died because of smoking,” Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said. Mrs [...]
‘Public move to end tobacco sales ‘staggering’ (Turia)
A recent analysis of the 2008 Health and Lifestyles Survey conducted by the National Research Bureau reports overwhelming public support for ending tobacco sales. The survey interviewed 1608 people aged 15 and over on whether they support the end of tobacco sales within ten years and whether they support fewer tobacco retailers. “The numbers are [...]
