Screens go up to put the cigarettes out of mind

Hundreds of shops have blocked cigarettes from view to comply with a new anti-smoking law designed in part to protect children.

The Smokefree Environments Act, which banned smoking in bars from last Friday, also limits tobacco displays in shops such as supermarkets, petrol stations and dairies.

A maximum of 100 packets and 40 cartons can be displayed, a "smoking kills" sign must be put up and tobacco displays are generally banned within a metre of "children's products" such as lollies, ice creams and soft drinks.

Some small shops can be exempted from the one-metre rule, but they must try to keep that gap between tobacco displays and children's products.

Foodstuffs managing director Tony Carter said yesterday that about 140 of the company's 180 Pak'N Save and New World supermarkets had hidden tobacco displays at checkouts with opaque, stick-on vinyl film. The displays were within a metre of confectionery, and it was easier to block customers' view of the tobacco products than to redesign the counters. Progressive Enterprises managing director Richard Umbers said the chain's 200 or so Woolworths and other supermarkets and petrol station convenience stores had made similar changes by using opaque film.

Displays more than a metre from children's products were obscured to the required extent by a new shelving design.

Anti-smoking lobbyists and Associate Health Minister Damien O'Connor welcomed the block-outs as an important step in discouraging smoking.

"If it's out of sight, it's out of mind," said tobacco researcher Dr Murray Laugesen.

"The main effect is that it would reduce relapse of recent quitters and there's a lot of them around.

"It would also discourage young people from buying their first packet."

Action on Smoking and Health director Becky Freeman said retailers' displays were the last permitted form of tobacco advertising.

Mr O'Connor said the one-metre rule was to prevent children developing positive ideas about cigarettes by seeing them next to sweets.

Asked about dairies' compliance, he said, "We will be checking on them. Often it's the smaller retail outlets that are slower to comply. Smokefree officers will be working with them to show them how they can."

* A New Plymouth lawyer has declared his office a marae and housie hall to get round anti-smoking legislation.

The door to Family Court lawyer Alan Johnston's tiny three-room office reads: "This Marae/Housie Hall will be closed from 23 December to 18 January." 

"It's my little protest at the way this Government seems to be willing to regulate over private activities and personal pleasures," he said of his sign.

The Health Ministry said some venues, such as marae, churches and community centres, had been deemed "private" cultural places, but they were not automatically exempt from the new law.

Pubs find out what the baccy hid

Anti-smoking legislation has caused a stink in some eastern Bay of Plenty bars.

Flatulence and other body odours are causing more of a whiff on the pub scene since legislation banned smoking.

Pub proprietor Sheryl Hanright said she had ordered several air fresheners to mask the smell.

"Without an abundance of cigarette smoke the body odours have become really evident."

Edgecumbe Plains and Red Rock proprietor Grant Webb said he, too, had noticed new smells in the air.

"It definitely registered that we would have to take measures in regard to the new aroma," he said.

"The cigarette smoke obviously covered or absorbed a lot of the smells that are prevalent in a bar.

"Body odours weren't too bad, but I certainly noticed the farts."

Staff and patrons at the Commercial Hotel praised the smoke-free air, but also commented on the heavy smell of sweat.

- NZPA