15 May 2000

350 cigarette additives should be published

Green Party Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley today said all 350 chemicals which are added to cigarettes should be published on the Ministry of Health website along with full information about these additives, including any health and safety concerns.

"Consumers have a right to know what particular cocktail of chemicals they are smoking in their cigarettes," she said.

Ms Kedgley said New Zealand law requires that any additives that are used in food are identified in ingredient listings so that consumers know what they are eating. The same rules should apply to cigarettes.

"Simply because cigarette manufacturers choose to use hundreds of additives should not make them exempt."

Ms Kedgley said a website in the meantime would provide interested consumers with the information they are entitled to. It may very well convince many to give up smoking.

"This is a very serious issue in the fight to reduce the amount of young people smoking," said Ms Kedgley. "These chemical additives are used to mask the smoke from cigarettes and lure young people into a deadly habit.

"The government should also move to set limits on the amount of aditives that can be added to cigarettes," she said. "At present there are no limits which means smokers currently have no idea what chemicals they are smoking, or in what quantities."

Ends

Sue Kedgley MP: 025 270 9088 Jonathan Hill (press secretary): 021 110 1133

© Scoop Media