Te Pāti Māori's co-leader has accused the new government of "deliberate .. systemic genocide" over its policies to roll back the smokefree policy and the Māori Health Authority.

Tad hysterical, don’t you think?

College of Public Health Medicine president Sir Collin Tukuitonga has said the reversal of the smokefree amendments would result in about 1000 extra deaths over the next decade, mostly Māori, and cost the health system $1.3 billion.

Calling that a “genocide” is a bit ridiculous.

  • @IlovethebombOP
    -1•7 months ago

    I’ve said this before on here, but this is a law I never really felt comfortable with, creating a situation where one adult can legally buy cigarettes, and one can’t.

    I do like the idea of tobacco products only being sold at specialist retailers though.

    • @[email protected]English
      5•7 months ago

      How else does one end cycles of addiction, though? White it would create a black market, it works to end generational smoking. Think about the big picture here

      Reintroducing smoking is so backwards, this is simply stealing from the future (the money this introduces now will create a burden on the health system by orders of magnitude, I imagine).

      I get that it’s classic labour nanny-stating, but there’s really no good reason to smoke, it’s just a problem that capitalism has created by trying to sell junk for profits

      Edit: just re-read your comment - I agree with the specialist retailers for sure. Chuck it straight onto the degenerate vape shops, regulate them, etc…

    • ∟⊔⊤∦∣≶
      2•7 months ago

      Although I haven’t smoked a cigar for over a decade, I do appreciate having the option to buy a genuine Cuban cigar.

      Definitely in support of removing combustible tobacco products though.