Smoking rate reduces to 6.8 percent

New Zealand’s daily smoking rate has fallen to 6.8 percent, according to the latest New Zealand Health Survey results released today, November 19.

Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said the data shows continued progress in reducing smoking harm, with especially steep declines among Pacific peoples and young New Zealanders.

“Most of the survey data shows a continuation of the great progress that’s been made in the last few years, especially with falling numbers of Pacific peoples’ smokers and very low rates of youth smoking,” Costello said.

“Over the last six years the Pacific peoples smoking rate has halved, while smoking rates are lowest in our young people, signalling a generational shift away from cigarettes. The smoking rate for 15–24-year-olds is 3.2 percent, down from 19.2 percent when the survey started 13 years ago.”

Costello noted that New Zealand now has the third-lowest smoking rate in the OECD.

“New Zealand has made some of the best progress in reducing smoking rates in the world – these latest survey results show adult daily smoking has halved in the last decade.”

She said the Government remains committed to reducing smoking rates and the harm caused by smoking but warned the remaining group of smokers is the most difficult to reach.

“Those who currently smoke cigarettes are mostly older, long-term smokers and since the start of the Smokefree work, they have been the most difficult group to get to quit.

“All of the tools, supports and approaches that have worked so well over the last few years are still in place. We need to build on these and target the key populations – older smokers and especially Māori and Pacific peoples. Māori and Pacific smoking rates have fallen significantly over the last five years, but this trend has to continue.”

Costello said the Government’s focus is on practical tools that help smokers quit and stay quit.

“I want to ensure we are making the best use of the resources in this area, including getting people to engage with quit smoking providers, and I’m looking at further regulatory change to ensure we have a regime that reflects the harm of products and has appropriate controls on the market.

“Now that we have strengthened the rules around youth vaping, one simple thing we need to do is be very clear that vaping has been a great tool to help thousands of people stop smoking.”