Community outcomes are the desired state of affairs each community has identified as important to them. These could be anything from clean water to more parks. The council and other organisations in the community will use these outcome statements to develop their planning and activities. (21) More about community outcomes...
SOCIAL WELLBEING
- Reducing smoking = reducing health inequalities
- Smoking is a major cause of health inequalities. Smoking rates are highest amongst groups that are most deprived, with smoking rates in decile 10 at 38% as compared to 15% in decile 1.(1)
- Smoking rates are highest amongst Maori (49%) and Pacific people (35%) (2), amongst beneficiaries (44%) and ‘blue collar’ workers (31%).(3)
- At least one-third of the shorter life expectancy of those living in the most deprived areas is accounted for by tobacco consumption.(4) The burden of death and illness from exposure to second-hand smoke is also highest among lower socioeconomic groups.(5)
- De-normalising smoking: Children learn by observing others.(6) The frequency with which young people observe smoking has an association with the perception that smoking is socially acceptable and normal.(7)
Resources
CULTURAL WELLBEING
- Smoking causes 31% of all Maori deaths(8), and threatens the continuation of whakapapa, leadership and intergenerational transfer of Maori culture.(9)
ENVIRONMENTAL WELLBEING
- Cigarette butts are commonly found in the stomachs of birds, sea turtles and other marine creatures.(10)
- Many of the 25 million cigarette butts dropped on the streets of Auckland every year end up being washed through the stormwater system into our harbours(11) causing serious digestive problems that may lead to death for birds and aquatic fauna. In addition the residue in the butts contains some very toxic and soluble chemicals.(12)
- Last year in New Zealand 1,011 fires were started by carelessly disposed of cigarettes, killing 4 people.(13)
- Incorrectly disposed cigarettes are a major fire hazard due to their flammability.(14) Nearly 5% of all fires in New Zealand are caused by cigarettes.(15)
- Making outdoor areas smokefreehelps reduce litter. The number of cigarette butts littered was reduced by nearly two-thirds as a result of the implementation of a smokefree outdoor policy in Opotiki.
ECONOMIC WELLBEING
- Tobacco is a $22.5 billion drain on the NZ society.(16) In 2001 it was estimated that smoking costs NZ’s public healthcare sector $180 million annually.(17)
- Without cigarettes NZ’s population would be larger (more ratepayers), people would be healthier and more productive, there would be less pressure on the health system, less litter, fewer fires and more money would be spent on services.(18)
- Incorrectly disposed of cigarettes are a major fire hazard, causing over 1000 fires a year in New Zealand.
- 100% Pure = 100% Smoke-free: Tourism plays vital role in many regional and district economies. Most of NZ’s international tourists are non-smokers and support smoke-free policies.(19) The policies also reinforce New Zealand’s 100% Pure campaign.(20)
References
1. Health Intelligence, (2001) Inhaling Inequality: Tobacco’s contribution to health inequality in New Zealand. (Public Health Intelligence Occasional Report No. 7). Wellington: Ministry of Health
2. Public Health Intelligence. (2003) Tobacco Facts 2003. (Public Health Intelligence Occasional Report No. 20). Wellington: Ministry of Health
3. Public Health Intelligence. (2003) Tobacco Facts 2003. (Public Health Intelligence Occasional Report No. 20). Wellington: Ministry of Health
4. Ministry of Health. 2001. Inhaling Inequality: Tobacco’s contribution to health inequalities in New Zealand. Wellington: Ministry of Health.
5. Whitlock, G. at al, ‘Association of environmental tobacco smoke exposure with socio-economic status in a population of 7725 New Zealanders’, Tobacco Control, 1998;7;276-280.
6. ‘Reducing Smoking Initiation: Literature Review’, Prepared for the Ministry of Health, February 2005.
7. Helen Darling, “Curiously Strong Allure: Reducing initiation and uptake of smoking”, Presentation, ‘Moving forward for a Smoke-free Auckland Symposium’, 14 July 2004.
8. Cigarette Smoking Mortality Amongst Māori,1954-2028. Prepared for Te Puni Kökiri by Murray Laugesen and Mark Clements for Health New Zealand.
9. Frequently Asked Questions, Part 4: Background Rationale for the Smokefree Law FAQ, May 2005.
10. UNEP and ATHOC help to kick the butts out of the Olympics, United National Environment Programme, 14 August 2004.
11. Cigarette Butts, Rubbish and recycliing, Auckland City Coucil website.
12. These chemicals add to the existing cocktail of environmental pollution. They are known to be toxic to small crustaceans (cladocerans) and a bacteria. Victoria Litter Action Alliance Fact Sheet on Cigarettes.
13. Pers. Corr. Gary Quigan, SMS Analyst and Quality Assessor, EIRSA, NHQ, NZ Fire Service, 23 May 2005. Emergency Incident Statistics 2003-2004.
14. See the NZ Cigarettes (Fire Safety) Bill and the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act. The addition of accelerant (potassium citrate) to keep cigarettes burning increases the hazard – see A. MacGuire, How the Tobacco Industry Continues to Keep the Home Fires Burning; Tobacco Control 1999; 8: 67-69.
15. Pers. Corr. Gary Quigan, SMS Analyst and Quality Assessor, EIRSA, NHQ, NZ Fire Service, 23 May 2005.
16. In 1997 Brian Easton, a high profile NZ Economist, estimated it to be up to $22.5 billion annually.
17. O’Dea, Des, The Net Fiscal Costs and External Costs of Smoking, February 2002. Unpublished report commissioned by the NZ Treasury
18. http://www.eastonbh.ac.nz/article60.html or http://www.ndp.govt.nz/tobacco/SocialCostsTobacco.pdf
19. http://www.ash.org.nz/pdf/SecondhandSmoke/EconomicImpacts/BansAffectingTourists.pdf
20. http://www.newzealand.com/
21. Long Term Council Community Plans – Q & A fact sheet, Local Government New Zealand. Online at: www.lgnz.co.nz/library/files/store_011/LTCCP_Question_and_Answer_Fact_Sheet.pdf