College of GPs Welcomes Smokefree Response

The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners has welcomed the Government’s response to the Maori Affairs Select Committee Report on its inquiry into the tobacco industry.

The Government has agreed to the goal of halving tobacco consumption by 2015 and making New Zealand essentially smokefree by 2025.

RNZCGP President Dr Harry Pert says they are ambitious targets, but necessary ones.

“The statistics around preventable tobacco-related disease and deaths are well-known, and the College supports any measures that reduce both the prevalence of smoking and also the exposure young people have to tobacco products.

“We welcome this stake in the ground from the Government. We need to do everything we can to build on the momentum of other tobacco control and smoking cessation initiatives and policies.”

ENDS

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