2000 Kiwi kids try smoking before they are 10 each year - ASH

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2000 Kiwi kids try smoking before they are 10 each year - ASH

3News NZ

By 3 News online staff

Tobacco companies will suffer a huge setback when Australia bans all brand marketing and promotional logos on tobacco packaging.

Australia's highest court has given the go ahead to Prime Minister Julia Gillard to use plain packaging for cigarettes.

“It’s about removing the branding and getting rid of the association those brands have got with people,” Action on Smoking and Health director Ben Youdan told Firstline this morning.

Mr Youdan says his organisation are committed to making smoking less attractive to young people, but also stopping parents from smoking.

“The disturbing reality is there’s still 2000 kids in New Zealand every year who take their first puff under the age of 10, so kids are still experimenting with cigarettes,” he says.

“The biggest risk factor for kids starting smoking is their parents smoking.”

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Comments

19/08/2012 12:30:34 p.m.

S wrote:

Depends on the parents and the morals and self esteem they build around their child as at this age the biggest influence in a child's life is their own family.

16/08/2012 7:58:02 p.m.

Shaun wrote:

Paora. Contained within this name is the Maori word translating to 'well-being', true? How unusual then, to overlook the influence of existing packaging to focus on peer pressure when it contributes to this.

16/08/2012 10:59:07 a.m.

Paora wrote:

Haven't ASH heard of 'Peer Pressure' as the greater incentive for kids to start smoking? Also, if or when there are no cigarettes around anymore, watch 'Pot' take up the slack and boost gang activities & profits.