Smokefree Advocate Named Public Health Champion

Smokefree Advocate Named Public Health Champion

The Public Health Association (PHA) is pleased to announce its Public Health Champion for 2014 is well-know physician Dr Murray Laugesen. The award has been given in recognition of his tireless work and strategic thinking towards the smokefree New Zealand by 2025 goal. He has been a key driver in the long journey from an essentially smoking New Zealand society to one where a smokefree future is now a real possibility.

Dr Laugesen was principal medical officer in the Ministry of Health from 1984-1995. In 1998 he was awarded the World Health Organization Tobacco or Health medal “for achievements deemed worthy of international recognition in promoting the concept of tobacco-free societies.” In 2000 he was awarded the Queen’s Service Order for public services. Since then he has been involved in researching various tobacco and nicotine products as alternatives to cigarettes.

Dr Laugesen says he is absolutely delighted to have received the award, and that he is particularly proud of helping to usher in the first legislation to control tobacco advertising and sponsorship.

“And it was one of the best days of my life when we won the battle to get smoking out of bars, restaurants and all workplaces.”

He says there is nothing greater in all disease control than to end the damage caused by tobacco.

“When we first started estimating in 1988 we said more than 4000 New Zealand deaths annually were due to smoking – including one fifth of male deaths. These estimates continued to rise and now the evidence is good that two thirds of all deaths in adult smokers are due to smoking.”

Dr Laugesen has always been a passionate advocate for public health.

“When I returned to New Zealand in 1977, after 12 years in India, I was determined to work in public health. I had seen so many diseases eliminated or controlled in my time overseas – from smallpox to polio – and I wanted to see the same results here. I am still in a great hurry to see things eventuate and now, in a few months time, we will have only 10 years to go to reach 2025.”

Despite being well past retirement age, Dr Laugesen remains committed to achieving a smokefree New Zealand by 2025. He is an active participant in the Smokefree Canterbury coalition and, according to the nomination by the Canterbury/West Coast Branch of the PHA, has a wealth of smokefree knowledge which he is always willing to share in a very polite and unassuming way.

He says his overriding concern is for the many New Zealanders who still smoke and how best to support them to be part of our smokefree future.

“If I had just one important message to share with New Zealanders, what would it be? That’s easy. Quit tobacco.”

Dr Laugesen received the award this evening at the NZ Population Health Congress Awards Dinner at the Aotea Centre in Auckland.

ENDS

© Scoop Media