Philip Morris does it again, says PHA

Philip Morris does it again, says PHA

The Public Health Association (PHA) is horrified that tobacco company Philip Morris is marketing a brand of cigarettes called ‘Maori Mix’.

“Not content with killing many thousands of people, Philip Morris is now using the name of New Zealand’s indigenous people to sell its deadly product,” says PHA Director Dr Gay Keating.

The product, sold in Israel, features the word ‘Maori’, and has a map of New Zealand on the back.

“Tobacco use is the single biggest killer of Maori. This is reflected in higher rates of lung cancer, heart disease, SIDS, respiratory infections, glue ear, meningococcal disease and diabetes than in non Maori.

“To therefore use the word ‘Maori’ on a tobacco product borders on the obscene, and shows yet again that the tobacco industry is concerned only with profits.”

Dr Keating is calling on Philip Morris to withdraw the Maori Mix brand from the market immediately.

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