History of tobacco control in Aotearoa
History of tobacco control in Aotearoa
A look at smoking and tobacco control from 1796 to the present day.
People have used tobacco for centuries, and for most of the time we were unaware it was so harmful. The following is a history of tobacco use and the responses to promoting a Smokefree Aotearoa New Zealand.
-
Tupeka kore Aotearoa
Tupeka kore Aotearoa
Before Captain Cook arrived, there was no tobacco in Aotearoa, and tangata whenua were completely tupeka kore (smokefree).
In 1769, tobacco was introduced to New Zealand by Captain Cook and his crew as a trading commodity.
-
1840s – 1920s
An excerpt from the Māori Councils Act 1900 that refers to smoking. Source: New Zealand Legal Information Institute.
1840s – 1920s
By the early 1840s, cigarettes were used widely by Māori, but by the late 1800s and early 1900s, there was strong opposition by Māori leaders to the use of tobacco.
The Māori Councils Act 1900 gave Māori Councils legal grounds to prohibit smoking by children, as well as the power to fine anyone who supplied tobacco to children. However, there were many other issues that took priority and this power wasn’t fully realised.
Smoking rates in Aotearoa were very low until World War I, when soldiers were given free cigarettes. Mass production of cigarettes also increased their availability.
By the end of World War II, three quarters of men and one quarter of women in Aotearoa smoked.
-
1930s – 1950s
World War II soldiers in the Pacific, circa 1943. Exact location unidentified. Photographer unidentified. Source: Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand.
1930s – 1950s
Medical professionals noticed an increase in lung cancer. This was previously an uncommon disease.
By the 1950s, smoking was identified as the leading cause of lung cancer. In 1957, the first US Surgeon-General’s Report linked smoking to lung cancer. Smoking was already well-established in Māori communities by then.
The first public health posters linking cancer with smoking were produced.
Tobacco consumption peaked in 1953.
-
1960s – 1970s
A poster from 1958. Image sourced from Archives New Zealand's health poster collection, transferred by the Department of Health. Item number R23461799.
1960s – 1970s
Cigarette advertising on television and radio was stopped in 1963 in response to recommendations from the New Zealand Medical Association.
In 1964, the US Surgeon-General’s Report expanded on the impact of smoking on health by linking it with heart disease, other types of cancer, and many other health problems.
In 1973, the tobacco industry agreed not to advertise on billboards and in cinemas.
The first health warnings were displayed on cigarette packets in Aotearoa in 1974.
Tobacco was defined as a toxic substance in the new Toxic Substances Act (1979).
-
1980s
1980s
World cancer rates due to smoking continued to increase. In 1984, Māori were reported as having the highest rate of lung cancer in the world.
Aotearoa New Zealand’s first tobacco control programme began in 1984. We implemented smokefree policies, including taxation measures, health education, support to quit, health warnings, and smokefree environments. The amount of tar in cigarettes was regulated and event sponsorship by tobacco brands was banned.
Tobacco taxation was increased and the first government-funded advertisements about being smokefree aired on television.
Health warnings were updated with stronger and more varied links to poor health.
The Department of Health (now the Ministry of Health) made all its indoor workplaces totally smokefree.
The Toxic Substances Act was amended in 1988 to ban the sale of cigarettes to anyone under 16 years old.
Domestic airlines in Aotearoa became smokefree in 1988.
A coalition was launched to end tobacco advertising and promotion in 1989. The Government announced its intention to introduce legislation to ban tobacco advertising.
Between 1985 and 1990, Aotearoa had the fastest reduction in smoking among OECD countries.
-
The Smoke-free Environments Act 1990
The Smoke-free Environments Act 1990
The Smoke-free Environments Act was passed in August 1990, which:
- required all workplaces to have a policy on smoking and placed restrictions on smoking in many indoor workplaces
- banned smoking on public transport and some other public places including cafes, restaurants and casinos
- regulated the marketing, advertising, and promotion of tobacco products and the sponsorship of products, services and events by tobacco companies
- banned the sale of tobacco products to people under the age of 16 (raised to under 18 in 1997)
- provided for the control and disclosure of the contents of tobacco products
- established the Health Sponsorship Council (HSC) to replace tobacco sponsorship.
-
Early 1990s
Early 1990s
The Smokefree brand was introduced in 1990.
Tobacco tax was adjusted for inflation, at least annually, from 1990 to 1998.
The cost of tobacco in New Zealand was one of the lowest among OECD countries. Smoking prevalence among all New Zealand adults was 27%.
In 1993, the Smoke-free Environments Act was amended to allow existing tobacco sponsorships to continue until 1995, two years longer than the initial legislation.
A contract was established in 1993 with Te Hotu Manawa Māori to coordinate and strengthen tobacco control among Māori. Until this time, nobody was working full-time to address tobacco harm in Māori.
Te Hotu Manawa Māori launched the Auahi Kore programme in 1994. This year, the HSC began to replace major tobacco sponsorships with Smokefree sponsorships.
The former Public Health Commission set a target adult smoking rate of 20% or lower by the year 2000.
-
1995 – 1997
1995 – 1997
In 1995, retailers removed all tobacco product signs in shops.
Tobacco company sponsorships ended in 1995. Australia also prohibited tobacco company sponsorships, bringing tobacco control policies in line.
By 1995, Air New Zealand flights, except for flights to Japan and Korea, became smokefree.
The Smoke-free Environments Amendment Bill No. 2 was introduced into Parliament in 1996.
The 1996 Census showed that 24% of New Zealanders smoked.
A youth media campaign, Why Start?, was launched in 1996. It ran for three years.
The first national celebration of World Smokefree Day, called World No-Tobacco Day in other parts of the world, was held on 31 May 1996. World Smokefree Day continues to be the only global event that calls attention to the health effects of using and being exposed to tobacco products.
The Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act (1997) was passed into law to:
- ban sales of tobacco products to anyone under 18 (previously 16)
- ban sales of cigarettes in packs of fewer than 20
- clarify the regulatory powers to limit harmful constituents in tobacco products
- ban retailer incentives to promote tobacco
- reduce the size of in-shop tobacco advertising.
The Smokefree Coalition received government funding.
-
1998 – 1999
1998 – 1999
In 1998, Quitline launched a six-month pilot in Waikato and the Bay of Plenty. It received 8,500 calls from 100,000 smokers in the region.
Apārangi Tautoko Auahi Kore (ATAK) – Māori Smokefree Coalition was established in 1998.
National Quitline (Me Mutu) service was launched in 1999.
In 1999, Aukati KaiPaipa was launched as a two-year pilot cessation programme for Māori.
The Smoke-free Environments (Enhanced Protection) Amendment Bill was introduced in 1999. It proposed more protection for workers, volunteers and the public, particularly against exposure to second-hand smoke.
-
The FCTC: a global public health treaty
The FCTC: a global public health treaty
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was signed by New Zealand in June 2003. It was the world's first public health treaty designed to reduce the health and economic effects of tobacco.
The FCTC was ratified in 2004, making the conventions and protocols outlined in the document legally binding to Aotearoa.
The convention came into force when the 40th country had formally ratified it. By May 2005, 168 countries had signed and 66 had ratified the convention.
-
2000 – 2004
A campaign by the Ministry of Health to encourage Smokefree Workplaces by 10 December 2004.
2000 – 2004
Subsidised nicotine patches and gum were made available through the Quitline and authorised community providers in 2000.
The 2000 ASH Year 10 survey reported that 33% of Year 10 students in Aotearoa had never smoked a cigarette. 27.9% reported smoking at least once a day, and 15.2% reported smoking daily, weekly, or monthly.
In 2001, further changes to the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 were referred to the Health Select Committee.
A landmark legal case was lost against British American Tobacco for the death of an Invercargill woman, Janice Pou, who died from lung cancer in 2002.
The National Māori Tobacco Control Strategy 2003–2007 and Action Plans were developed.
The Smoke-free Environments Amendment Bill passed on 10 December 2003, becoming the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act.
All buildings and grounds in schools and early childhood centres were required to be smokefree from 1 January 2004.
All licensed premises (bars, restaurants, cafes, sports clubs, casinos) and all other workplaces (offices, factories, warehouses, lunchrooms) became smokefree inside on 10 December 2004.
-
2005 – 2009
2005 – 2009
In 2005, South Taranaki District Council was the first local authority to implement a smokefree policy for council-owned property: their swimming pools, playgrounds, parks, and surroundings.
Upper Hutt City Council became the second local authority in 2006 to implement a smokefree policy around council-owned reserves, playgrounds and parks. Many more councils began to follow.
The Smokefree Coalition took British American Tobacco to the Commerce Commission in 2006, alleging breaches of the Fair Trading Act over 'light' and 'mild' descriptors.
From 28 February 2008, regulations required graphic pictorial health warnings on all tobacco packages. 30% of the front of cigarette packets and 90% of the back were to be covered in health warnings.
The New Zealand Health Survey 2006/2007 placed New Zealand’s smoking rate at a record low of 20% for current smokers (aged 15 years and over).
Txt2Quit, a quit smoking programme using mobile phones, was launched in 2008.
-
The Smokefree 2025 goal
The Smokefree 2025 goal
In April 2011, following the Māori Affairs Select Committee Inquiry (2010), the Government agreed to an aspirational goal for Aotearoa New Zealand to be smokefree by 2025.
-
2010 – 2013
2010 – 2013
In 2010, the excise tax was increased by 25% on loose tobacco and 10% on other tobacco products. Yearly 10% tax increases on tobacco until 2020 were introduced. This was on top of the yearly increase adjusted with inflation.
The Smoke-free Environment (Control and Enforcement) Amendment Bill was passed into law in 2011. The regulations:
- prohibited tobacco retail displays (introduced from July 2012)
- tightened up ‘covert’ tobacco sponsorship by including distribution agreements
- increased requirements for internet sales
- increased the fines issued by Smokefree Enforcement Officers.
The amendments came into force in July 2012. Tobacco retailers were to remove tobacco displays and any reference to selling tobacco products in their business names.
$20 million was budgeted over the next four years for Innovation Fund, Pathway to Smokefree 2025 programmes to discourage smoking uptake and help more New Zealanders to quit.
The 2013 Census showed that regular smoking rates had dropped by nearly 25% since the 2006 Census.
-
Plain packaging in Aotearoa
Samples of plain packaging for cigarette boxes.
Plain packaging in Aotearoa
In 2012, Cabinet agreed in principle to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products, in alignment with Australia. A bill was presented to Parliament in 2013.
The Smoke-free Environments (Tobacco Plain Packaging) Amendment Bill had its first reading February 2014. This was a first step towards plain packaging of tobacco products in New Zealand.
The bill had its second reading in 2016.
A standardised packaging regime, often known as “plain packs”, was introduced to Aotearoa in 2018 for all tobacco products.
-
2014 – 2016
2014 – 2016
Some major campaigns launched in this period:
- Stop Before You Start in 2014, which asked young adults to think about their relationship with tobacco
- In 2014, Quitline launched the Crayons TV campaign, which highlighted the dangers of smoking, not just to the smoker, but also to their children
- Quitline launched the I’ve been there, and now I’m here television campaign in 2016, featuring Quitline advisors.
Duty-free tobacco allowances were cut from 200 cigarettes to 50, or 50 grams of cigars or roll your own tobacco. The gift concession for tobacco was also removed.
The New Zealand Health Survey: 2012/2013 Tobacco Use Survey showed current smoking had declined from 25% in 1996/97 to 18% of the adult population by 2012/13.
The ASH Year 10 Survey in 2015 showed that smoking among 14 and 15-year-olds had dropped below 3% for the first time.
In 2015, Quitline transitioned to a new provider, Homecare Medical, who run seven national telehealth services.
New Zealand became a party to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in 2015. The TPPA had built-in protections referred to as a ‘carve out’ to prevent private corporations from suing governments over tobacco regulations.
The Ministry of Health realigned tobacco control services. This included face-to-face stop smoking services and national advocacy services to ensure they can best help achieve the Smokefree Aotearoa New Zealand 2025 goal. New stop smoking services launched on 1 July 2016.
Hapai te Hauora Tapui and their Māori Tobacco Control leadership service, Te Ara Hā Ora, became the national advocacy service in 2016.
-
2017 – 2018
2017 – 2018
The Achieving Smokefree Aotearoa Plan (ASAP) was launched in 2017, recommending actions to achieve the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 goal.
In 2018, the Ministry of Health developed a set of performance measures to improve health outcomes for New Zealanders, including ‘better help for smokers to quit’.
The Evaluation of Tobacco Excise Increases as a Contributor to Smokefree 2025 report was released In November 2018.
-
2019
A still from the Quit for your Pets TV campaign.
2019
The Quit for your Pets TV ad launched. It focused on the effect of second-hand smoke on pets.
SmokefreeRockquest celebrates its 30th year. Smokefree Tangata Beats, which started as the Urban Beats award with SmokefreeRockquest, has become a nationwide youth competition in its own right.
The Ministry of Health and Te Hiringa Hauora/Health Promotion Agency launched the Vaping Facts website with information about vaping as a way to quit smoking.
The ASH Year 10 survey reported that 80.4% of Year 10 students had never smoked a cigarette, 2.1% reported smoking at least once a day, and 5.9% reported smoking daily, weekly, or monthly.
Smokefree is the naming sponsor of Hip Hop International (HHI) New Zealand 2019, a dance event where young people from 50 countries compete for the world title.
-
Driving smokefree
Image from Health Promotion's Drive Smokefree for Tamariki campaign.
Driving smokefree
Government agreed to amend the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 to prohibit smoking in vehicles carrying children under the age of 18. This is to protect children from the harms associated with second hand smoke.
The Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill was introduced to parliament on 17 June 2019.
After a long journey of hard work from community workers, advocates, researchers, officials and policymakers, the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 was amended on 28 May 2020. It prohibited smoking in motor vehicles carrying children and young people under 18.
The law took effect in November 2021.
-
2020 – 2023
2020 – 2023
The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Bill was introduced to Parliament to regulate:
- sales to minors
- advertising and sponsorship
- smokefree and vapefree areas
- labelling and packaging
- product safety.
The QuitStrong campaign was launched by Te Hiringa Hauora/Health Promotion Agency in 2020.
The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022 came into force on 1 January 2023. While some provisions have since been repealed, several changes around notification and record keeping of smoked tobacco products remain in place.
-
2024
2024
The Getting to Smokefree 2025 Plan was launched on 27 November 2024. The plan sets out actions that Health NZ will take over the next year for the last push towards achieving the Smokefree 2025 goal by December 2025. Read the Getting to Smokefree 2025 Plan.
