Thursday, 4 May 2006,

Verdict in Pou case 'ludicrous'

Hone Harawira, Maori MP for Tai Tokerau

3 May 2006

"Justice Graham Lang's verdict in the Janice Pou case is ludicrous," said Hone Harawira, the Maori Party MP pushing for a total tobacco ban in New Zealand.

"Telling us that she was well aware of the dangers to her health that smoking posed, ignores the fact that back when Janice Pou started, the dangers of smoking weren't well known at all," said Harawira. "In fact, back in those times, everyone thought smoking cigarettes was glamorous and cool - movie stars smoked, even big time sports stars smoked.

And it's also disappointing because Justice Lang seems to have ignored the hugely addictive nature of tobacco. Starting is easy - stopping is another story altogether."

"It should have been the tobacco industry on trial," said Hone Harawira. "There will come a time when the people who sell this poison to our people will be held to account, and that time won't be too far away."

ENDS

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