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Harawira calls for complete tobacco, cigarette ban

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Thu, 11 Mar 2010 7:14a.m.

Hone Harawira says cigarette companies target young people (file pic)

Hone Harawira says cigarette companies target young people (file pic)

The country’s biggest cigarette company looks set for a fiery reception when it fronts MPs looking at the impact of tobacco on Maori.

Parliament’s Maori Affairs Select Committee is in Auckland, hearing submissions on its inquiry into the tobacco industry.

British American Tobacco sells 3/4 of all tobacco and cigarettes in New Zealand.

The company will tell MPs to clamp down on illegal sales, sales to under-18s, and set a minimum price for cigarettes.

Maori Party MP Hone Harawira will be there and says British American is just offering a few token concessions.

“Those people don’t feel the effects of tobacco for some years. It’s only once they’ve been addicted for 10 years that they realise they shouldn’t have started – but by then it’s too late,” he says.

“They absolutely target young people.”

Mr Harawira wants tobacco sales completely banned.

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Comments

03 Jul 2010 12:01a.m.

andwot wrote:

About criminal behaviour~thats a choice...it may be unlearnt, About freedom from incarceration - which can seem an unconscious choice... one that you can end up being sure youre Arthur, then realising your Martha... feelin foolish at thinking youde learnt the system then Naah...Ie; Smoking keeps me stress~free...like when the budgets blown, after a feeeeed, with a drink & like when...the this that & the other become a challenge to keep up with tooo.", & soon, the addiction with all its justifications & no worries replies~ Oh well, sucked in///pass thy on to the next generation while Im at it, thats life. ...and on its power rolls...& on its own2. These intentions & actions empower this un naturale act, & validates its control. Help yourself Quit playing the games...It can seem lonely at first. Save ourselves - Breathe Life ... Haa!

20 Mar 2010 08:09a.m.

accsux wrote:

I thought mr Harawira .. had already completely banned tobacco products from entering his body... his body..His right.... and the only body that mr Harawira.. has a right to ban anything from entering.. his.. not mine,, or anyone else's.. personal agendas... more personel agendas ,,, and our tax dollars being wasted on it.. while the real problems in NZ get ignored.. that these people were voted in to ,, fix... poverty ,, crime ,,and government discrimination,, and human rights violations.. accsux

19 Mar 2010 04:38p.m.

Ruz wrote:

I'm backing Harawera on this issue. And for those that don't know he has been a consistent advocate for the banning of cigarettes and has previously made his views public. This is not a new issue for him, even though it might be for some commentators here.

19 Mar 2010 12:04p.m.

Boyd wrote:

Suprise suprise, people have taken the opportunity to instead vent anti-Maori and anti-Hone resentment once more on these comments. I don't think I have heard of any Maori willingly or accidentally killing 5,000 New Zealanders each and every year and here we go again putting Maori under inquiry rather than the tobacco industry. Some of the comments here are poster quotes on how badly our education system is failing. Others are just blantantly prejudice and discriminatory towards Maori. Can someone who is against this inquiry please tell me one health benefit from tobacco?

16 Mar 2010 10:57a.m.

Kelly wrote:

how can banning all tobaccco sales have any reflection on criminal activity Anomonus when its not illegal to grow tobacco? gangs cant profit when all consumers can legally grow it.

15 Mar 2010 03:04p.m.

anomynous wrote:

Is harawira a complete douche? It's the taxes from cigertettes that pay for his French detours, racist emails and Treaty of Waitangi settlements. Plus, ban smoking and we get the propblem we know have with P, marijuana and every other illegal drug in this country.

13 Mar 2010 05:03a.m.

Jan.. wrote:

Yes smoking must be banned but be realistic the smoker's has gone beyond non stop or no intention to stop or don't have that will power to stop smoking and it is as bad as the Mariana user's, unless they stop selling and banned tobbacco from our country and tourist must learn not to smoke in our country, the American laws are hush by sending people to jail for spilling oil by the seaside or throwing rubbish about the places..

12 Mar 2010 11:30p.m.

leemichelea wrote:

I agree with Hone, smoking should be banned. Its bad news.

12 Mar 2010 05:38p.m.

kee wrote:

HONE get your big nose out of everything.You are given far too much attention as a plonker.

12 Mar 2010 01:30p.m.

Kelly wrote:

lassie understand democracy immigrants aren't pakeha. you cannot establish a democracy with your culture. the queens chain protected all immigrants even tho MAORI were here first. everybody rode in the gravy train of colonalism at some point. and without the protection of that gravy train controlled by the different govts, we all couldnt of grown up thru evolution and evolution may of killed many immigrants.
THAT gravy also supplied everything u enjoy 2day. ull have renew your version of what PC is and learn to UNDERSTAND democracy or SUFFER!?