Is Government doing enough to help Pacific peoples become tobacco free?

It's time for "By Pacific, for Pacific' say Salote Austin and George Thomson of the University of Otago, Wellington

The current Inquiry by the Māori Affairs Select Committee has served to highlight the problem of smoking, not only for Māori, but for all New Zealanders, including Pacific peoples. Networks of Pacific health workers have brought the Pacific experience with smoking to the Select Committee, detailing the issues associated with smoking that similarly face Pacific peoples. One of the main questions they raise has been: what is the government doing to reduce health inequalities resulting from smoking?

A recent study carried out by the University of Otago, Policy-making for Smoking Around Children, found Pacific health policymakers calling for ways to reduce smoking, and thereby reduce the high incidence of smoking-related illnesses among Pacific peoples.

With the current smoking prevalence for Pacific peoples at over 30 percent, and a population growth projection of 59 percent (based on 2001 census figures) by 2021, it comes as no surprise that Pacific policymakers are asking for urgent action to combat the problem of smoking for Pacific peoples.

We found some Pacific policy-makers looking for a complete ban on the sale of tobacco. All the Pacific policy-makers we interviewed were urging greater government action. This included controlling access to, and visibility of, cigarettes in tobacco selling outlets. They also called for greater subsidies for those trying to quit smoking, as well as greater protection for children from exposure to tobacco.

Pacific policymakers were very much aware that certain actions, such as extending the smokefree law to include cars and homes, can be seen as nanny-state interference in what is viewed as a private choice to smoke. But many believed that there are areas where the government can show true leadership by taking measures to reduce smoking. This included higher tobacco taxes.

Increasingly, however, Pacific policy-makers are frustrated that the high rate of smoking-related illnesses amongst Pacific peoples in New Zealand is not matched by strategic policies to target smoking, and the effects of second-hand smoke, among Pacific peoples. The Ministry of Health has identified cardiovascular diseases as the main cause of deaths for Pacific peoples, and that Pacific cardiovascular mortality rates are consistently and significantly higher than for the general population. Mortality rates for stroke are higher for Pacific peoples than for any other ethnic group. Pacific children also have higher rates of hospitalisation for acute and chronic respiratory diseases than any other group in New Zealand. And for all these health issues, smoking has been found to be a known, and common, contributing factor.

The Ministry of Health has recently launched its Pathways for Pacific Health initiative, named 'Ala Mo'ui, specifically aimed at increasing better health outcomes for Pacific peoples by targeting problem areas such as smoking-related illnesses and cardio-vascular diseases. Under this programme, there is to be more input from Pacific communities into decisions affecting their health. But the question remains: is this going to be enough?

Pacific policy-makers have proposed many solutions that could help target the high incidence of smoking among Pacific peoples. Chief among these is the recommendation for some ingenious social marketing, through smartly timed and placed advertisements that would appeal to Pacific peoples. Directly highlighting the harmful effects on children, for example, of second-hand smoking would directly appeal to parents' protective nature towards their children. Appealing to Pacific peoples' sense of humour would be another way to highlight the harmful effects of smoking and second-hand smoke.

An innovative tobacco tax increase plan is now in place, which will prompt more quit attempts. Government could also help by resourcing programmes that would assist Pacific peoples to quit; educating Pacific peoples more on the harmful effects of smoking; and involving Pacific peoples more in policy-making. Pacific communities need to be in direct control of significant measures to reduce smoking among Pacific in New Zealand. 'By Māori, for Māori' has won major acceptance. Now it is time for 'By Pacific, for Pacific'.

Back to Tobacco Control Update 1 September 2010