Clearing the smoke: A five-year plan for tobacco control in New Zealand 2004–2009

This document details how the Ministry of Health plans to progress tobacco control activities over the five-year period 2004.2009. It has been developed from a literature review updating the evidence for major tobacco control interventions (Wilson 2003). It has taken into account previous planning in New Zealand and overseas, as well as feedback from consultation.

Clearing the Smoke: A five-year plan for tobacco control in New Zealand 2004–2009 represents another milestone in the progress towards minimising the harm from tobacco in this country. It has four goals that support the best-practice strands of a comprehensive tobacco programme namely to:

• significantly reduce levels of tobacco consumption and smoking prevalence

• reduce inequalities in health outcomes

• reduce Mäori smoking prevalence to at least the same level as non-Mäori

• reduce exposure to second-hand smoke for all New Zealanders.