26 May 2016

Anti-smoking youth protest at Parliament

12:22 pm on 26 May 2016

Young demonstrators, including students from several Wellington high schools, dropped to the ground outside Parliament today in a protest against smoking.

About 5000 people die in New Zealand each year from smoking-related causes.

In 2011, the government committed to make New Zealand smokefree by 2025, but the Smokefree Coalition said there was still a lot of work to be done.

The coalition's executive director Prudence Stone said the group wanted a 20 percent increase in the price of tobacco, and for plain packaging to be introduced.

Dr Stone said a smokefree New Zealand could be achieved by reducing demand for tobacco through controlling and regulating its supply.