Wallace Chapman, Damian Christie, the Back Benches Panel and special guests go head to head.
BUTTING OUT: The Maori Select Committee is probing the tobacco industry to find ways to get more people to put their butts out-for good. More than 40% of Maori are lighting up-is it time for us finally to ban cigarettes entirely?
GOLDEN OLDIES: Promises to the Golden Oldies means the Government has found themselves in a budget bind. Over 540,000 New Zealanders are Super Gold card holders and they are people who use those cards to make sure they hit the ballot box. So, how does the government keep its promises while not breaking the bank?
Join us for a night of LIVE pub politics from the Backbencher Pub: Wednesday, 17th of March. Our Panel: Green MP Keith Locke, Labour MP Darien Fenton, and National MP Amy Adams.
I wish the Maori Party would butt out! I’m a non smoker and don’t enjoy second hand smoke but I really think it should be up to the individual as to whether they keep up that vile habit or not.
Go the dinosaurs!
I am a smoker, and have been trying to quit, along with most others at work. I actually started late, well after drinking, and 1-2 turned into more, at the pub then more outside the pub. It was not teenage peer pressure with me (as I had successfully given up before intermediate).
I have two ideas that may bear thinking about.
1/ license smokers (& tourists), and make them available through pharmacy’s only. This could hinder access (in an addictive quantity) for start up smokers.
2/ Reduce packet size. A while back we could buy 10 pks, or even singles. The theory went that kids could not afford 20s so would not buy. Not sure if this has worked, but it would be a lot easier to wean off with only a couple around, rather than a full pk of 20 or more.
I would love to know the evidence that the tabbacco industry has for an “already active black market” in NZ? Are they talking chop chop, stolen smokes or the duty free?
If a ban was put in place, what choice would there to but to quit?
There would be quite a bit of fall out though. How much more abuse would there be from people coming off smokes?
Don’t know. Just a thought.