Full evidence text [PDF 203k] - New Zealand Parliament

Increase tobacco tax annually, from 2010, by 5% as recommended by the World Bank 36 and
the World Health Organization (WHO) 37 along with the current annual CPI adjusted
increases.
Recommendation 9: Introduction of legislation to ban smoking in cars carrying
children
Cars are settings in which children are most likely to be exposed to the highest levels of
second-hand smoke (SHS), where children have no easy way of avoiding it. 38
The main focus of activities has been on promoting voluntary smokefree cars through mass
media campaigns and relying on knowledge and attitude to change behaviour.
In New Zealand, 14.39% of people reported others smoking inside the car. 39 Significantly
more Maori reported others smoking in car (30.1%) than non-Maori (12.6%). 39
In a 1997 Wellington survey, 94% agreed that cars with children in them should be
smokefree (86% of smokers). 40
In a 2004 New Zealand wide survey, 76% disagreed that it
is ‘okay’ to smoke around non-smokers inside cars even when there are windows down. 41
Between March 2007 and February 2008 New Zealand adults over 18-years who smoked
were surveyed asking, ‘do you think smoking should be allowed in cars with pre-school
children in them?’ 95.9% disagreed. 42
These results indicate that there is strong support for New Zealand Government intervention
to protect children from effects of second-hand smoke in cars. There is strong scientific
evidence from overseas and New Zealand studies showing that smoking bans and
restrictions are effective. 43 Why is New Zealand lagging behind 11 states and provinces in
Australia, Canada and the USA, which have all passed laws to protect their children from
smoking in cars? 38
Additional Recommendations
The Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 be extended to include:
· Parks, playgrounds, national and regional Parks.
· Sports grounds and stadia.
· All outdoor events
· Corrections facilities.
· Tertiary educational facilities.
· Motor vehicles transporting tamariki.
· District Health Board premises.
36 World Bank, Curbing the Epidemic: Governments and the Economics of Tobacco Control. 1999.
37 World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/facts_findings/en/index.html 2009.
38 Thomson, G. Wilson, N. 2008. Public attitudes to laws for smokefree private vehicles: A brief review. Tobacco Control published online 3 December
2008; doi:10.1136/tc.2008.027672
39 Ministry of Health. 2007. New Zealand Tobacco Use Survey 2006. Wellington: Ministry of Health
40 Al-Delaimy W, Luo D, Woodward A, Howden-Chapman P. Smoking hygiene: a study of attitudes to passive smoking. N Z Med J
1999;112(1081):33-6
41 Gillespie J, Milne K, Wilson N. Second-hand smoke in New Zealand homes and cars: exposure, attitudes, and behaviours in 2004. N Z Med J.
2005;118(1227). http.//www.nzma.org.nz/journal/118-1227/1782
42 Thomson G, Wilson N, Weerasekera D, Edwards R. 2008. Ninety-six percent of New Zealander smokers support smokefree cars containing
preschool children. NZMJ 7 November 2008, Vol 121 No 1285; ISSN 1175 8716 URL: http//www.nzma.org.nz/journal/121-1285/3358/
43 Ministry of Health. 2004. Clearing the Smoke: A five-year plan for tobacco control in New Zealand (2004 – 2009). Wellington: Ministry of Health.
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