The education and current legislation seems to be doing a very good job of reducing smoking. And the amendments that have been cancelled seems to be ignoring the data, particularly with our youth.While I’m still against the new Government scrapping the Smokefree legislation in its entirety, I can’t see how going from the estimated 6.5% of the population (360,000) to the Smokefree goal of less than 5% of the population (275,000) is going to save 5;000 lives per year. Does smoking suddenly become “healthy” when less than 275,000 kiwis smoke considering the figure released by the Health Dept. says around 5,000 people die each year because of smoking or second hand smoke?
Older people and lower socio economic people are seen as having the highest smoking rates.
Our youth smoking has been in decline and youth who have never smoked has risen significantly.
Unfortunately youth vaping has had a dramatic increase...
Smoking rates and figures
Smoking prevalence in AotearoaDaily smoking1 rates have declined steadily since 2011/12, with the rate of decline increasing slightly from around 2019/20.In 2023/24, 6.9% of adults were daily smokers (an estimated 300,000 people) and 8.4% of adults were current smokers (an estimated 363,000...
What is happening with vaping among adolescents and young adults in Aotearoa?
The latest stats a show a rise in vaping among adolescents and young adults, but we have limited insight into their vaping-related attitudes and behaviours.
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