Luxon must stand Costello down and reverse tobacco tax cut decision

The Prime Minister must take action on his Government’s disastrous tobacco control policy after the latest in a long series of pro-tobacco industry moves by Associate Minister of Health Casey Costello that are likely to cause more harm - at the tax-payer’s expense.

"The Prime Minister cannot have confidence in a health minister implementing so many anti-health measures - he needs to stand down Associate Minister Costello and reverse the HTP decision immediately," Health Coalition Aotearoa Co-Chair Professor Boyd Swinburn said.

"We have a bizarre situation where the Government has put aside $216 million from the health budget for lost tax revenue it would have received from a major tobacco company - Philip Morris - while the products it was intended for are no longer legal."

RNZ revealed today Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs) are being pulled from shelves after new regulations made them illegal to sell in New Zealand from October 1.

HCA member and tobacco control expert Professor Chris Bullen said Costello had failed to listen to advice of experts and her own Ministry officials who warned her there is no independent evidence on the safety or efficacy of HTPs.

"She has plainly failed to deliver on standards expected of a Minister on transparency, integrity and now - competence."

"The Associate Minister’s plan to reduce smoking rates by making another tobacco product cheaper was a dangerous and radical experiment from the start and should never have been approved by Cabinet," Bullen said.

HTPs were more harmful than vapes and making them more accessible was likely to slow progress to lower smoking rates.

"These decisions have real and widespread consequences for the health of NZers - and will take us in the exactly wrong direction on tobacco control," Bullen said.

Swinburn called on the Prime Minister to show New Zealanders the Government’s tobacco control policies were not being orchestrated by Big Tobacco.

"This country deserves a health minister who listens to evidence-based advice, not some secret so-called ‘independent advice’."