Editorial: Scourge of tobacco must be eradicated

Cigarettes kill, it's as simple as that.

There are none so blind as those who will not see is a fitting maxim to attach to the latest flare-up regarding plain packaging for cigarettes.

Good God, the extent governments and health officials must go to in an effort to try to coax people into not inflicting horrible diseases and lingering death upon themselves by acts of sheer stupidity is mind-boggling.

Cigarettes kill, it's as simple as that.

Anyone who finds themselves in the unfortunate position of being addicted to tobacco as a result of bad choices needs to be supported by whatever means in efforts to be rid of the ghastly habit.

There should be no debate over whether the death warrants that come in cardboard packets should be presented as being any less than that - death warrants.

Actions to dumb down any glamour that can possibly be attached to smoking should be adopted.

If that involves plain packaging accompanied by ghastly, sickening photographs of blackened lungs and suchlike, so be it.

Of course, cigarette manufacturers and hawkers will not welcome the above.

They could hardly be expected to, but they cannot be our primary concern.

Thousands of people die premature deaths as a result of smoking.

Their treatment before dying costs taxpayers a fortune, money that should be spent protecting the health of those who have not burdened the health system with entirely preventable problems.

That smoking is gradually losing ground is evident.

It no longer has a manly persona, women are no longer looked on as glamorous and sexy on the end of a cigarette holder.

In short, smoking is now looked on as a hideous form of Russian roulette, and an expensive form at that.

New Zealanders should unreservedly throw their weight behind any moves to make it less attractive, especially to gullible young people, we should back increased taxes on tobacco products and support those at the coal face who have to deal with the fallout of addiction.

Forget about the flag, that issue will soon be resolved anyway by the collective will of the people. Putting our weight behind ridding this country of the scourge of tobacco addiction is far more important.