Service station puts community before profits

The Rawene Service Stationis now smokefree. Pictured is staff members DJ Lemon, Verna Hauraki, Ricky Siosiua and Hokianga Health stop smoking practitioners Patricia Dargaville.

A Northland service station owner decided to stop selling cigarettes to help one of his staff members quit.

Gema Hauraki, who works at Rawene Service Station, has now been smoke-free for a year - and her boss Ivan Hauraki, who is also her cousin, has been recognised for his commitment to making the Hokianga a healthier place.

His decision brings the number of tobacco-free retailers in Northland to 17, just under half the New Zealand total of 36.

Ms Hauraki said she had never been a heavy smoker, but it was just too easy to smoke when cigarettes were close at hand behind the counter. She didn't even have to walk across the road to the superette.

"Ivan said to me, 'If you don't care about your health then I will', and he stopped selling tobacco to help me and others quit smoking. None of our staff smoke now, we're tobacco-free and smoke-free," she said.

She now felt fitter, enjoyed the outdoors more and could manage a full round of golf without getting puffed. It also made her partner, who disliked smoking, happy.

The move was good for everyone in the community, she said.

Mr Hauraki, who owns the business, said it took a month for Rawene people to accept his decision to stop selling tobacco products. "But now they're behind the decision 100 per cent."

Rawene Service Station has now been recognised by the Cancer Society Northland, which hailed Mr Hauraki's leadership and courage. He was presented last week with a Tobacco-free Retailer Award and a letter of acknowledgment.

Cancer Society Northland health promoter Jim Callaghan said the service station was an example of retailers putting the community first by getting rid of tobacco products.

"These shops deserve reassurance that someone is noticing and applauding the stand they are taking. It's about being responsible retailers. Our children deserve a childhood free of the pressure of tobacco."

Mr Callaghan said young people were most affected by tobacco, but it was adults who needed to act.

According to the 2013 Census, 19 per cent of Northlanders are smokers, the fifth-highest rate in the country. The highest rates by district health board area are in Tairawhiti (24 per cent), West Coast (21 per cent), Lakes (Rotorua/Taupo) and Whanganui (both 20 per cent).

A 2014 survey found 7.1 per cent of Northland Year 10 students were daily smokers, a jump from 4.9 per cent.