New Zealand will fall well short of its Smokefree 2025 goal unless there is urgent government action, researchers say. For Maori, who remain the worst affected by smoking, the target might not be reached until ‘‘beyond 2060’’ without achange to the current approach. A group led by Otago University and Auckland Maori public health organisation Hapai te Hauora has outlined key measures it says need to be taken. They include dramatically cutting the number of tobacco retail outlets, gradually increasing the minimum purchase age and increasing tobacco tax by 20% annually for three years and setting a new minimum retail price.

Source: Otago Daily Times August 02, 2017 20:26 UTC