Campaigns hailed as smoking hits record low

New Zealand's smoking rate has fallen to its lowest level in over 30 years, new figures show.

Results from the Health Ministry's New Zealand Health Survey, released today by Prime Minister Helen Clark, show the prevalence of smoking among those aged 15 and over at 19.9 per cent.

It is the first time the figure has dropped below 20 per cent in over three decades of monitoring.

The figure for daily smokers was even lower, at 18.7 perc ent a drop of almost five per cent in the past four years.

Miss Clark said that equated to about 150,000 fewer smokers.

"This shows that initiatives over time like prohibiting smoking in indoor workplaces, including bars and restaurants, banning tobacco advertising and sponsorships and subsidising nicotine replacement therapy, do work."

Miss Clark said there had been a significant decrease in smoking among Maori.

The rate of daily smoking for men dropped from 42.9 per cent to 34.8 per cent in the past four years and from 51 per cent to 40.1 per cent for women.

The rate among Pacific people dropped from 34.6 per cent to 25.4 per cent over the same period.

Results from a separate survey, released today by lobby group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), found 57 per cent of Year 10 students had never smoked, a big rise from the 31 per cent recorded in the same survey in 1999.

Miss Clark said over the same period youth smoking rates had dropped from 28.6 per cent to 12.8 per cent.

The Government committed $32 million over four years towards anti-smoking initiatives in last week's budget.

Cancer Control Council chairwoman Dame Cath Tizard welcomed the figures. The council provides independent advice on cancer issues to the Minister of Health.

"What is really exciting is that the biggest drops have occurred among Maori and Pacific people and teenagers," she said.

"It is clear that the various programmes and initiatives are starting to have an effect on how New Zealanders view tobacco but the council cautions that there is still more work to be done."

Maori Smokefree Coalition director Shane Bradbrook hailed the fall in Maori smoking rates which he said signalled a major consciousness shift.

"Maori are recognising that tobacco is a major impediment to good health and overall well-being," he said.

"The only group hurting over this positive result will be the tobacco industry."

The smoking Quit Group said there had been a big rise in the number of people seeking its services in the first quarter of 2008.

In that period 11,700 smokers accessed its services, compared with 9200 in the corresponding period in 2007.

- NZPA