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Category Archives: tobacco

Tobacco industry ‘transformation’ – more smoke and mirrors?

Tuesday, June 7th, 2022 | carra86p | 4 Comments

Ceri Dell, Richard Edwards, Anna Gilmore, Lindsay Robertson and Janet Hoek*

Dell C, Edwards R, Gilmore A, Robertson L, Hoek J. Tobacco industry ‘transformation’ – more smoke and mirrors? Public Health Expert Blog. 7 June 2022. https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/pubhealthexpert/tobacco-industry-transformation-more-smoke-and-mirrors/

This blog examines tobacco industry claims that it is ‘transforming’ and the possible implications for public health. We draw extensively on an article examining tobacco industry transformation1 from the Tobacco Control 30th anniversary issue and consider a response from tobacco industry spokespeople.2 Finally, we review tobacco companies’ responses to the Smokefree Aotearoa Action Plan and whether their reactions support claims the tobacco industry is transforming.

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The Smokefree 2025 Action Plan: key findings from the ITC New Zealand (EASE) project

Monday, July 5th, 2021 | carra86p | 1 Comment

Richard Edwards, Ellie Johnson, Janet Hoek, Anaru Waa, El-Shadan Tautolo, Jude Ball, James Stanley

Summary

This blog summarises findings from people who smoke or have recently quit smoking and who participated in the ITC New Zealand project from 2016-2021. The blog documents attitudes towards smoking and quitting, support for, and perceived impacts of, key measures included in the Smokefree 2025 Action Plan Discussion Document, and data on use of illicit tobacco products.

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Illicit tobacco trade and the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Goal: Arguments and Evidence

Thursday, May 27th, 2021 | carra86p | No Comments

Dr Allen Gallagher, Dr Lindsay Robertson, Prof Janet Hoek, Prof Nick Wilson, Prof Richard Edwards*

The NZ Government has published proposals for an Action Plan to achieve the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Goal. This blog is one of a series examining key aspects of the proposals to help inform the debate and submissions. Here we examine the illicit tobacco trade. We examine the extent of the problem in NZ, consider how proposals in the Action Plan could affect the illicit tobacco trade in NZ, and discuss ways of mitigating any potential problems.

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Social Marketing for Smokefree Aotearoa 2025: Reminding, Reinforcing, and Changing Social Norms

Friday, May 21st, 2021 | carra86p | No Comments

Janet Hoek, Andrew Waa, Nick Wilson, Lindsay Robertson, Phil Gendall, George Thomson*

The NZ Government’s Action Plan to realise the Smokefree 2025 goal has signalled a more important role for social marketing. Social marketing can facilitate and reinforce population-level behaviour change introduced by new policies, thus modifying social norms, which also support long-term improvements in health outcomes. In this blog, we consider the role of social marketing in supporting the Smokefree 2025 goal and review strategies the Government could implement.

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The Case for Banning Cigarette Filters: Addressing a Consumer Fraud, Smoking Decoy and Environmental Hazard

Monday, May 17th, 2021 | carra86p | No Comments

Janet Hoek, Phil Gendall, Tom Novotny, Nick Wilson, Lindsay Robertson, Richard Edwards, James F Thrasher (*Author details)

The Government’s proposed Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan sets out a perceptive vision for reducing smoking prevalence and ensuring that, once the goal is reached, future generations will remain smokefree. Among the evidence-based measures set out, the plan includes proposals to “make smoked tobacco products less addictive and less appealing”. In this blog, we examine the Government’s specific proposal to prohibit filters and disallow innovations, additives, and other product changes that sustain the appeal and addictiveness of smoked tobacco products.

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