9 out of 10 Kiwi's Support Smokefree Environments

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) NZ
Press Release
11 December 2006

ASH pleased that 9 out of 10 Kiwis Support the right to live and work in a smokefree environment

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is pleased that nine out of ten New Zealanders support the right to live and work in a smokefree environment, according to a recent Ministry of Health Report.

Sneha Paul, ASH Spokesperson says, “These figures clearly show that people are enjoying the clean air inside smokefree pubs. The dark and smoky bar is a thing of the past – the future is clear. The percentage of people who prefer smokefree places will only increase with time.”

In 2001, only six out of ten New Zealanders supported imposing a smoking ban in restaurants, and this increased to about 73% in December 2004, when the Act came into force.

The figure has climbed to 90% this year, and at the same time support for no smoking in bars and pubs also increasing from 61% in 2004 to 82% in 2006.

The report, 'After the Smoke Has Cleared: Evaluation of the Impact of a New Smokefree Law', was commissioned by the Ministry of Health and carried out by the University of Otago, University of Auckland and the Health Sponsorship Council, to evaluate the effects of the Smokefree Environments Amendment Act 2003.

To view the full evaluation online please go to - http://www.moh.govt.nz/publicationsbydate

ENDS

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