Young smokers standing together with Mārama Fox

Young smokers standing together with Mārama Fox to make New Zealand smokefree.

Te Ara Hā Ora the National Māori Tobacco Control Service congratulate three young Māori students (current smokers) in their efforts to collaboratively worked together to facilitate an Action Group which focuses on using smokers opinions and ideas to help influence other young people to not start smoking and for current smokers to become smokefree.

According to Health Promotion Agency statistics there has been little change in the rates of young people desiring, attempting, or successfully stopping smoking since 2006. “These students really want to help the government meet their goal of a smokefree Aotearoa by 2025, young smokers talking to us about what they think will work could help the current situation” states Zoe Martin-Hawke the Manager of Te Ara Hā Ora.

In the lead up to World Smokefree Day 31st of May, the students have organized Marama Fox the co-leader of the Māori Party to attend their Action Group hui on the 29th of May at 10.00am to share her thoughts on tobacco in Aotearoa. They also plan to meet with Associate Health Minister Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga to give him some ideas around how to best support young smokers to stop.

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