Media release from Labour Associate Health spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway

The Government should seriously consider licensing tobacco retailers, Labour Associate Health spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway said.

"Today at the Maori Affairs Select Committee hearing, tobacco giants Phillip Morris said they would support the licensing of tobacco retailers," Iain Lees-Galloway said.

"If even a tobacco company can see that there needs to be a change in the way we sell tobacco products then the Government needs to step up and accept changes need to be made.

"Labour supports the banning of tobacco point of sale displays and would particularly support removing displays from retailers located near schools.

"By licensing retailers specific rules could be put in place that could potentially prevent tobacco from being sold near schools.

"I was surprised that a tobacco company like Phillip Morris was so willing to make changes that could potentially negatively affect their sales.

"But what is more surprising is that a tobacco company is more willing to make changes to decrease the sale of tobacco than the current Government is.

"Point of sale advertising is an old fashioned way of promoting smoking and there should be no place for it in New Zealand stores any more.

"Smoking is one of New Zealand's biggest killers and we need to be doing more to prevent young people from taking up this deadly habit, licensing retailers and getting rid of point of sale advertising are just two of the ways we could do this, Iain Lees-Galloway said.