Smokers facing another tax increase as 2014 arrives are being urged to use the cost hike as an opportunity to quit.
The tobacco tax rises 10 per cent on Wednesday, the
latest in a series of consecutive 10 percent tax hikes planned by the
Government through to 2016.
And though tax increases are frequently unpopular, Quitline chief executive Paula Snowden is welcoming the rise.
"Smoking is expensive and it needs to be," she said.
"Tax increases trigger
quitting and they are an essential part of the government's commitment
to a Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025, which aims to reduce smoking prevalence
to less than 5 percent."
Ms Snowden said
Quitline wants to help anyone wanting to quit smoking, which she
describes as "a creeping death that steals lives and robs families of
health and wellbeing"
The 2013 census showed
smoking had fallen from 20.7 percent prevalence in 2006 to 15.1 percent
in 2013, which Ms Snowden said showed that tax increases, along with
other measures such as smokefree environments and cessation support, are
working.
The exact increase in the cost of a
packet of cigarettes and loose tobacco after the tax increase will be
determined by individual tobacco companies.
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