Smoking ban in air?

Press, 8 May 1978, Page 12

Smoking ban in air?

PA Wellington The Government Committee on Smoking and Health would like to see smoking banned on virtually all internal New Zealand air travel. In an interview after the committee’s meeting in Wellington the chairman Mr Geoffrey Holland) said the committee would recommend to the Minister of Health (Mr Gill) that Air New Zealand be asked to consider a ban on smoking on flights shorter than one hour. Mr Holland, a Christchurch surgeon, said the travelling public who did not smoke had a right to clean air. The committee also wanted to see limitations on smoking in public

places. But it recommended that, where possible, this be done by means other than regulation. Although it had been done by regulation in some other countries, the committee believed most New Zealanders already considered themselves overregulated. The change would be better if it could be achieved by persuasion. “We will ask the Government to take a lead by restricting smoking in its own areas: Government buildings and public meetings under Government sponsorship. “Also we will ask quasiGovemment organisations, for example hospital boards, to limit smoking to certain times and to restrict the sale of tobacco on their premises.”

The committee, he said, had decided to ask the Government to Rive an allocation from its community health budget to set up an anti-smoking education programme. ft had agreed that health education should start at a younger age than at present. Mr Holland said this should begin at the age of eight or nine, as many children started to smoke at 11. At its next meeting the committee will consider the establishment of antismoking clinics. Mr Holland said there was some debate whether these clinics should be a function of hospitals or whether they were better left to private organisations.