Letters: The real cost of Smokefree law repeals

We all know that smoking kills — it’s important to remember that smoking kills horribly, writes Rebecca Redwood. Photo / 123RF

Letters to the Editor

Tax cuts will now carry big health cost

As a GP working in Auckland, I was horrified to hear the coalition Government is planning to repeal stop-smoking legislation to fund tax cuts. We all know that smoking kills — it’s important to remember that smoking kills horribly.

People say having end-stage COPD (smoking-related lung disease) feels like drowning. Even when smoking doesn’t kill, it damages: talk to any dentist about gum disease or a child with asthma living in a smoke-filled home. I imagine Health Minister Shane Reti would have seen a few gangrenous toes / feet / lower legs in his time — smoking is a major cause of peripheral vascular disease. Harms of smoking disproportionately affect the poor, Māori and Pacific people. The brutality of condemning thousands to die and the $5 billion added cost on the health system so that some people can have a few extra dollars in their pocket disgusts me.

Rebecca Redwood, Beach Haven.

One-term PM

I am profoundly disappointed in National’s proposal to repeal the so-called Smokefree laws. This will effectively ensure our new Prime Minister will hold office for only one term, if that. The only positive is that in destroying National, he will also take out Act and NZ First.

I find it incredible Christopher Luxon does not understand the primary and over-arching responsibility for any government in any country is to ensure the security and safety of its citizens. I find Nicola Willis’ homily about the cost of the existing legislation specious and cannot see any other expenditure she may propose which will have such an impact on the health of the country. Surely, she understands the real cost of tobacco products to the country and I am certain the ultimate cost will be much higher than any notional increase in revenue.

If Dr Shane Reti accepts the post of Health Minister, he is clearly breaching the Hippocratic and Physicians’ oath. I for one would have expected better and hope when the legislation to repeal the current positive laws comes before Parliament, enough members of the Government will cause it to fail ignominiously.

Rod Lyons, Kumeu.

Up in smoke

Bravo! A select few get income tax cuts and landlords are rewarded with depreciation and interest claims. The trade-off — the end to smoking is pushed down the track. More respiratory disease and lung cancer, more hospitalisation and drugs, more suffering and death. Thank God this lot didn’t run the place during Covid!

Shane Reti should collect his badge as Health Minister and immediately resign, acknowledging the damage he would otherwise oversee.

A Black Friday indeed! As black as a smoker’s lungs.

Allan Bell, Torbay.

Long wait for little

And it came to pass that the high priests laboured for 40 days and 40 nights to build the sacred Cabinet. On the 40th day they saw that it was good and they rested.

When the Cabinet was revealed to the multitude, they were sore afraid and there was much gnashing of teeth when they realised that the Cabinet held little that would ease their suffering.

David H. Fisher, Howick.

High threshold

Now that the coalition Government has been finally formed with the assistance of NZ First, but still with a very slim majority, Act supporters seem to think this has given them a mandate to have referendums aimed at redefining how the Treaty of Waitangi should be incorporated into the laws of New Zealand. Because this will have a big effect on the future governance of New Zealand, and the relationship between Māori and the Government, it is important that any changes are voted in by an overwhelming majority. Therefore, in order to achieve that, any referendums should require a majority of at least 75 per cent and possibly more.

David Mairs, Glendowie.

Reward for effort

Finally, a government that rewards effort and achievement by students. Financing university fees in the final year of a three-year university degree just makes sense.

Why waste taxpayers’ money on 20 per cent of students who drop out in their first year?

Better to alleviate some of the burden of those who have persevered to make it to year three.

Keith Moran, Hong Kong.

Violent crime

Over the past year we have seen numerous incidents involving guns, violent crime and numerous confrontations involving gangs.

Yet for most of this year, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster has not appeared in public to address these issues. Why?

Janie Weir, Remuera.