Researchers found that smoking had steadily declined so far this century, especially since the 2006 census which showed 13 per cent of female nurses smoking and 20 per cent of male nurses.
But the new data showed about 90 per cent of doctors aged 25-44 had never been regular smokers, while 85 per cent of doctors had never smoked including 95 per cent of doctors aged under 25.
"The findings suggest that New Zealand doctors had achieved the Smokefree 2025 goal of minimal (less than 5 per cent) smoking prevalence and all nurses except psychiatric nurses were on track to do so.
"Targeted workplace smoking cessation support could be used to reduce smoking among key occupational groups such as Māori nurses," researchers wrote.