Future Directions of Tobacco Control: An advocacy NGO perspective

1. Future Directions of Tobacco Control: An advocacy NGO perspective Becky Freeman, Director Future Tobacco Control Policy

2. I’ve been thinking… • Why do some of our political leaders seem to think “tobacco has been done”? Future Tobacco Control Policy

3. I’ve been thinking… • We know exactly how to reduce tobacco use, but we are just not doing it! • We have the WAY but where is the WILL? • Where is the leadership? Future Tobacco Control Policy

4. Where are we now? • NZ population smoking rate of 23.5% - higher than Australia, Canada, Sweden, and California • Slow decline over the past 10 years • Huge disparities in smoking rates across different ethnic groups Future Tobacco Control Policy

5. The good things we have • Workplace smoking ban and high rates of smokefree homes • World class quit line service which includes provision of subsidised NRT • A committed and passionate workforce that work with the limited resources they have • News and popular media coverage of smokefree is excellent Future Tobacco Control Policy

6. What is holding us back? • The five year plan – it hasn't been fully enacted • Competitive funding paradigm • A lack of focus and leadership following the workplace ban • Where are coordination services heading? • Where is tobacco as a priority in relation to He Ha etc. ? • Where is the infrastructure to enable us to work together? Future Tobacco Control Policy

7. Gaps to be filled • No real tax increase since 2000 • Not addressing the increase in smoking of roll-your-own tobacco • Lagging behind in terms of implementation of picture warnings and display bans • Unregulated tobacco industry and no national strategy to denormalise the industry Future Tobacco Control Policy

8. Gaps to be filled • Lack of empowerment programs and mass media campaigns for youth • Serious workforce capacity issues – including at the Ministry of Health level and the community level • Development of infrastructure to support “collaboration” and “partnership” – we must stop paying lip service to these health promotion words Future Tobacco Control Policy

9. My vision over the next five years • Tobacco taxes are among the highest in the world, including equalising tax on rollies • Tobacco budget is reflective to the scale of the problem and funding is allocated where it is most needed • Large picture warnings on all products • No tobacco displays at retail Future Tobacco Control Policy

10. My vision over the next five years • Limited number of retailers selling tobacco • No branding elements on tobacco packages • No duty free tobacco • Comprehensive tobacco control plan is fully enacted, including denormalisation of the industry Future Tobacco Control Policy

11. My vision over the next five years • NZ is a world leader in strictly regulating the industry and their products • End of tobacco-related health disparities • Population smoking rate no higher than 15%, among the lowest in the developed world, and on track to hit less than 5% in ten years Future Tobacco Control Policy

12. …and only then will tobacco be truly “done” Future Tobacco Control Policy