New Zealand - New Plymouth central business district - councillors against smoking ban..



Clip on map to enlarge..
March 3, 2011 - Most of the councillors informally polled by the Taranaki Daily News yesterday were against a smoking ban for the New Plymouth central business district (CBD). New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand.

Of the 11 councillors contacted, eight were against the proposed ban that Taranaki District Health Board health promoter Jill Nicholls called for at a meeting of the New Plymouth District Council on Tuesday. Ms Nicholls, in her deputation, spoke of a vision of the tobacco industry being dead in New Zealand by 2020 and asked councillors to consider a smoking ban in the CBD to support the idea.

There were two questions asked of councillors yesterday:
When was the last time you had a cigarette and how do you feel about a proposed smoking ban in the New Plymouth CBD?

Three of the councillors spoken to had never smoked or had only tried it as a teenager, yet two of these councillors didn't support the smoking ban. Despite eight of the councillors being reformed smokers, most weren't bothered enough by other smokers to want a ban enforced.

Councillors spoke of the difficulty in policing a ban and many touched on it being a human right's issue or a matter of personal choice.

Comment of Alex Matheson

"I haven't had a cigarette in many years, I would have been in my 30s probably.

"I think a CBD smokefree proposal might be contrary to human rights."


Reference: Smoking ban a bridge too far for most councillors JO MOIR, Taranaki Daily News online, 3/3/2011.

New Zealand related news briefs:
New Zealand - study quitting results when smokers receive nicotine from a source other than cigarettes..;
New Zealand - are roll-your-own cigarettes more addictive than factory-made??;
New Zealand - more on smoking cessation - does it always require a drug(s)??;
New Zealand - massive push to get smokers to quit..;
New Zealand - cigarette display ban passes first reading..;
New Zealand - price goes up number of smokers goes down..;
New Zealand - Māori Affairs Committee Report released - November 2010..;
New Zealand - non-smokers offered incentives to test cigarettes..;
New Zealand - phase out tobacco sales over the next decade..;
New Zealand - Scandinavian Tobacco granted clearance to merge its cigar and pipe tobacco businesses with Swedish Match..;
New Zealand - tobacco industry whistleblower addresses the Maori select committee..;
New Zealand - a third of patients seeking treatment in the ED were smokers..;
New Zealand - the majority of New Zealanders support an end to commercial tobacco sales by 2020 - can it happen??;
New Zealand - study revives interest in keeping tobacco hidden..;
New Zealand - health board says no to psychiatric hospital smoking ban..;
New Zealand - report on illicit trade and options to control growth of illicit trade..;
New Zealand - ASH Year 10 Snapshot Survey - Dramatic youth smoking decline..;
New Zealand - plain cigarette and tobacco packs could turn teenagers off smoking..;
New Zealand - Tobacco companies target women..;
New Zealand - lobby group of small retailers formed to protest tobacco price hike..;
New Zealand - more than half of the people want to end tobacco sales by 2020..;
New Zealand - revenue department has begun a review of BAT financial transactions..;
New Zealand - increase in tobacco excise forced through Parliament by the Government..;
New Zealand - Christchurch prepares for meeting with tobacco select committee..;
New Zealand - biggest drop in smoking rates seen in a decade..;
New Zealand - Maori affairs committee continues to gather information..;
New Zealand - study quit-smoking products that are acceptabe and effective..;
New Zealand - smoking ban results in decrease in heart attacks..;
New Zealand - BAT attends Maori Affairs select committee meeting on tobacco..;
New Zealanders want cigarettes banned by 2020..;
New Zealand - Maori women - almost 50% smoke..;
New Zealand - more and more teenagers turned off by smoking..;
New Zealand - loophole in the law banning tobacco sponsorship..;
New Zealand - University of Auckland to go smokefree - 1st university in country..;
New Zealand - smoking ban in bars results in less smoking at home..;
New Zealand - study, tobacco displays leads to increase in youth smoking..;
New Zealand - graphic warnings cigarette maker selects less offensive images..;
New Zealand - Maori committee to investigate smoking..;
New Zealand - Tairawhiti Board wants tobacco sold only on prescription..;
New Zealand - health researchers calling on government to ban importation of tobacco..;
New Zealand - 1st trial ever of e-cigarettes..;
New Zealand - BAT reducing prices discouraging people from quitting..;
New Zealand - stop smoking campaigns NOT working..;
BAT awarded worst corporation in New Zealand..;
New Zealand - government may NOT support tobacco display bans..;
New Zealand More Evidence Needed to Ban Tobacco and Cigarette Displays..;
More evidence - tobacco displays increase the risk of teens smoking..;
Horror photos go on New Zealand cigarette packs..;
Country to Eliminate Smoking - The South Pacific nation of Niue;
Ireland to ban tobacco displays..;
Smokefree NZ within 10 years..;
By law, oral snuff cannot (but nasal snuff is allowed) be sold in New Zealand and can be imported only for personal use..

0 comments: