New Zealand - tobacco industry whistleblower addresses the Maori select committee..

Our hearts & prayers go out to "kiwis" - a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hits the Christchurch area on September 3, 2010..

Aotearoa - Maori name for New Zealand..
Dr Jeffrey Wigand - the whistleblower famous for publicly exposing the inside workings of America's tobacco industry on 60 Minutes in the mid-1990s, and later portrayed by Russell Crowe in the movie The Insider - is in New Zealand this week (week of July 20th - 2010) to address the Maori select committee as it makes an inquiry into the tobacco industry.

The results of a multi-national study were published this morning, showing that of the eight countries tested, New Zealand cigarettes have the highest amount of tar and the second-highest level on nicotine per cigarette.

The study by international company British American Tobacco's researchers in Britain tested 80,000 butts supplied from smoked cigarettes by smokers in eight countries. Fifteen cigarette brands were tested in each country, to reflect the range available.

New Zealand smokers sucked out 1.62mg of nicotine a cigarette, the second-highest amount and far more than Australians' 1.36mg.

NZ smokers exposed to more tar than Aussies by Martin Johnston, NZHerald.co/nz, 6/21/2010.
The study was published online by the journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. Worrying findings as he sees them, with higher nicotine levels making it harder for us to quit smoking and tar being the irritant that leads to smoking related illness and death.

Greater addiction with more negative health effects as the consequence - according to Dr Wigand, it's a well-formed plan.

VIDEO - Watch the full interview..

Reference: Tobacco industry whistleblower talks to Campbell Live, 3News.co.nz, 6/21/2010.

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By law, oral snuff cannot (but nasal snuff is allowed) be sold in New Zealand and can be imported only for personal use..

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