<p style="text-align: justify;">Members of ASPIRE2025 have just released the latest research report aimed at informing and stimulating debate about policy options that might help New Zealand become a smokefree nation by 2025.</p>

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<p style="text-align: justify;">Key messages from this project:</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&bull; Bold policies are needed to address inequalities and reduce smoking prevalence in priority groups. Key informants agreed that a suite of interventions is needed to achieve the 2025 goal &ndash; no single policy will get us there.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&bull; The report highlights the need for greater clarity over the definition of the smokefree 2025 goal: Is the prevalence goal &lt;5% overall or &lt;5% for all ethnic groups? The government&rsquo;s wording was &ldquo;reducing smoking prevalence and tobacco availability to minimal levels&rdquo; and yet the focus on reducing availability appears to have dropped out of discourse on the smokefree 2025 goal.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&bull; The findings suggest that dramatic tax increases may be the most viable immediate policy target for New Zealand&rsquo;s tobacco control sector. This option was seen by key informants as both effective and politically feasible, if coupled with complementary interventions.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&bull; More work is required to collate evidence and raise awareness about other &lsquo;game changer&rsquo; options such as compulsory removal of nicotine from tobacco, bans on additives, reduced retail availability and the &lsquo;tobacco free generation&rsquo;. Key informants had mixed views on the likely effectiveness and feasibility of these options.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&bull; Frustration at the lack of progress towards Smokefree 2025 was a key theme. The findings add further weight to calls for urgent government action on tobacco control.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">For more information please email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:richard.edwards@otago.ac.nz">richard.edwards@otago.ac.nz</a></p>

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<p><a href="/uploads/files/ASPIRE%20Future%20Directions%20Report%2016.pdf">Please click here to view the report</a></p>
