John Loof believes dangers of smoking should outweigh profit and political considerations.
Recently the chairman of a retailers' group wrote in the Herald about his concerns over proposed restrictions around the sale of tobacco products.
Health groups are saying the commercial self-interest of those backed by the tobacco industry needs to be set aside if we are to make gains against a
disease that annually is responsible for 10 times the number of the deaths that occur on our roads.
Following on from the rise in tobacco tax, other moves are being formulated to further reduce the impact of smoking-related diseases. Many different organisations have just finished making submissions to the Maori Affairs health select committee.
The committee's focus is gathering evidence on the effect of tobacco on Maori communities and to consider the vision of a tobacco-free New Zealand in the future.
The Ministry of Health has also called for submissions on one particular strategy - the issue of removing tobacco displays in retail outlets. Several organisations are working to protect children from a tobacco addiction that, on average, starts below 15 years of age.
Removing these displays is part of a range of measures that will achieve this goal. Opposition from retailer organisations and tobacco companies is designed to protect turnover and profits.
So what do smokers actually think? Most smokers support putting tobacco under the counter, because they do not want their children to smoke.
Smokers themselves won't be particularly affected by this move. They will still be able to buy tobacco at their local store or any of the usual outlets around town.
Just as they do now, customers will be able to ask for their preferred brand which will be kept in a drawer under the counter or perhaps on a covered shelf.
Many supermarkets have been selling cigarettes this way for years. What the tobacco industry is really worried about is how things will change over time. These displays are ubiquitous and they exist because they work as a de facto marketing tool.
In the near future our children will not see colourful and eye-catching displays of cigarettes sitting on the shelves next to the lollies every time they visit the dairy.
Smokers who are trying to quit will find the job a little easier when they aren't confronted by shelves full of cigarettes each time they pay for their petrol or go to buy their milk and bread.
Retail tobacco displays will soon go the way of other forms of tobacco marketing, advertising and sponsorship.
The opposition to the move from retailers mirrors that of restaurant owners who forecast economic disaster when it was first proposed that smokers be consigned to the outside areas.
In fact, quite the opposite happened. These venues became more pleasant for all and public opinion shifted very quickly.
All the while the tobacco industry cried foul and called every new anti-smoking initiative an affront to personal freedom. How an industry that peddles a seriously harmful and addictive drug can talk about personal freedom confounds logic.
The 2003 Smokefree Amendments Act saw New Zealand become a world leader with its public health legislation. Since then momentum has slowed, smoking rates have declined little and other more committed countries have progressed further on this issue.
Legislation to remove displays already exists in Australia, Canada, England, Wales and Scotland and similar moves are being considered in many other European Union countries.
So given that the overwhelming number of submissions to the select committee favoured putting tobacco under the counter, where is the political will on this issue?
Last year the National Government rejected the recommendations of the previous Labour-led health select committee to remove displays.
The Maori Party has developed a very strong position when it comes to tobacco control and is taking the lead through the recent submissions process.
It recognises the disproportionate and devastating effect smoking has on Maori communities.
With smoking rates for Maori at about 46 per cent the Maori Party feels it must advocate significant change and is committed to showing great courage and leadership.
Outside of Parliament Ngati Kahungunu, New Zealand's third most populous iwi, introduced some far-sighted anti-smoking measures including prohibiting tobacco at events, marae and various sacred locations.
They have set a new course to ensure the long-term health of future generations and are unafraid to take the hard decisions in the best interests of their people.
Iwi chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana said that this new strategy was the most important thing the organisation could do.
* John Loof is chief executive of the Cancer Society's Auckland division.
