MP Wants Country Puffing On Smoke-Less Cigarette
By Kate Chapman of NZPA
Wellington, Sept 23 NZPA - Maori Affairs select committee chairman Tau Henare wants electronic cigarettes to be freely available to help those addicted to nicotine.
Electronic cigarettes, known as e-cigarettes, provide inhaled doses of nicotine through a vaporised liquid solution.
Battery-powered, they are an alternative to smoked tobacco products and are often shaped like cigarettes.
The vapour provides the flavour and physical sensation of smoking tobacco, but no tobacco or smoke is involved.
Mr Henare said the product allowed him to go a whole day without smoking a traditional cigarette.
Electronic cigarettes give people their nicotine fix without exposing them to the toxic chemicals in tobacco, the National MP said.
"You know how cool this is? Want me to show you?," Mr Henare asked Ministry of Health officials appearing before the select committee this morning.
The ministry's senior analyst of tobacco control, Brendon Baker, said electronic cigarettes had not yet been tested for their safety.
"We have to ensure they're safer than cigarettes. They probably are, most things are."
Part of the problem with the electronic version was that they came in different flavours and could be a market entry aimed at young people, he said.
There were other similar products such as Swedish suns -- small tobacco pouches absorbed by being placed under the tongue, Mr Baker said.
However, Mr Henare was defiant.
"I don't want to suck on a tea bag, I want to put this (e-cigarette) in my mouth.
"I'd rather have my kids suck on one of these rather than a Winfield Red."
The issue arouse after Maori Party MP Hone Harawira asked whether the Ministry of Health supported a total ban on tobacco products.
Margie Apa, deputy director responsible for tobacco control, said that was a decision for politicians.
The main concern for the ministry would be what to do with the 20 percent of New Zealanders highly addicted to nicotine.
Labour MP Mita Ririnui suggested "giving them something to suck on".
Ms Apa said banning tobacco would require involvement from a number of agencies.
From a public health perspective the most important thing was supporting people who wanted to quit and harm minimisation, she said.
Any attempt to reduce tobacco consumption must be an inclusive approach involving, taxation, banning displays, health and education and cessation assistance, Ms Apa said.
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Comments
How long do we have to
How long do we have to suffer the criminals called politicians.. They are cheap drug dealers knowing full well they are killing tens of thousands of New Zealanders by allowing the continued sale of a death product of tobacco on the market.
Now above we actually have at last a realistic method in e cigarettes to enable people to get off the murderous suicidal habit of smoking poisons and what do the loser health authorities do ?
They do the obvious hide. The real question is. Are the Tobacco Giants paying politicians and health authorities to be a pack of cowards??
Get off your sanctimonious ass and get these e-cigarettes on the market and save thousands of NZers from a terrible death
I wish I lived in NZ.
I wish I lived in NZ. Sadly, I am from the US where politics and bureaucracy rule over genuine health concerns. The saddest part is that our President smokes. If only he would try electronic cigarettes then perhaps we would have a big player in our court like you guys have in yours now.
well you know what to do.
well you know what to do. don't wish move to NZ where its paradise..yea smoking has been a government milking tax income for donkeys years. It's time for these politicians to get over themselves and their selfishness and think of our people.
They are scared they'll loose their position if they get real but as to tax get rid of graduated tax , inheritance tax, and every other theft by governments and make an across the board 10% tax no exceptions companies or private.
lol
Now Tau Henare sounds like a
Now Tau Henare sounds like a smark and practical man. Here in the states, since politicians don't currently tax electronic cigarettes, they are trying smear tactics to discredit electronic cigarettes. Every day I get calls asking if ICIG is worse than regular cigarettes. How can it be??? As the article above states, it lacks all the harmful cancer forming chemicals -- just nicotine to address the addiction. At http://ielectroniccigarette.com we are going to post a link to this article as it is important!!!
indeed I am surprised not
indeed I am surprised not many Maori folk have opted to post comments here and get behind Tau Henare.
But as you say the criminals .. the cig companies are out to protect their murderous source of revenue as are the governments of the world.
Does anyone know the name of the small nation which banned cigarettes altogether.. some years back??
The sale and distribution and profiting from the sale of tobacco should be made illegal...if folks want to grow and sell whatever fine but very costly in fines if they profit from it...lol
Look like all things run by greediness which the Bible speaks of in this God hating lawless criminal age where those in authority like banks can run the world into ruin without consequence it's little wonder truth has no show mate. Take the FDA and FED and other US so called state agencies. All are owned and run by bankers.. Lol
It is fantastic that New
It is fantastic that New Zealand is able to approach the matter of electronic cigarettes with an open mind. Unfortunately, the USA is clouded by politics. Even though the electronic cigarette has the potential to save millions of lives, our FDA still is trying to ban it. I love the USA, but the corruption and politics are awful sometimes. Big Tobacco and Big Pharma just have way too much power, and it sways the opinion of our elected officials.
Johnny Blaze
Founder, Halo Electronic Cigarette Co.
Make no mistake New Zealand
Make no mistake New Zealand is a puppet state of the World Bank
No matter what anyone says NZ is a slave to the IMF and a slave to the World Bank
The Bible states. : "The borrower is slave to the lender" and so it is.
This world is run big greed avarice hatred and vengeance..There is no way in truth any government is actually going to aid their people into living healthy happy prosperous and good lives..
The E-Ciggy would help a large group of folks to love a joyous happy and productive life but there's where the problem lies.
What do you do with 100's of thousands of people when having overcome drug addiction realize they have lived a pathetic wasted life and wish to have decent incomes..
NO NO NO say governments best to keep the losers completely drugged into submission..
I would like Tau to comment on pre- Maori European settlement in New Zealand which the government has suppressed .
http://www.kilts.co.nz/mitancient.htm
Cheers have a great life in the soup
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