Nicotine First

Nicotine lobbyists said Winston Peters was ‘very powerful’ and ‘very industry friendly’

Philip Morris allegedly pitched draft legislation to NZ First as part of a lobbying campaign for its Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs), according to documents released in litigation against a US vaping company.

The documents claim Philip Morris corporate affairs staff “reached out to NZ First to try and secure regulation to advantage IQOS” – the HTP with a monopoly in the New Zealand market.

RNZ searched through more than 10,000 documents relating to New Zealand, mostly from 2018 and 2019, which were released as part of legal action in the US against vaping company JUUL.

The documents shed new light on controversial policy changes led by NZ First in the current coalition government, and the party’s perceived relationship with the nicotine industry.

Last year, NZ First Associate Health Minister Casey Costello halved the excise tax on HTPs at a potential cost of $200 million, a move the Treasury said would mainly benefit Philip Morris as the sole importer.

Costello halved the excise tax on HTPs despite health officials telling her there was no strong evidence they worked as a smoking cessation tool or that they were significantly safer than cigarettes.

Yesterday, NZ First leader Winston Peters described questions from RNZ about the documents as a “tissue of baseless accusations,” which the party would respond to on its own social media pages.

Smoking kills 67% of users, no product that addictive should be allowed to have that hold over the market!

We want people off ciggies and onto vapes without addicting a new generation of vapers while respecting individuals right to choose after 18.

We need to deal with our vices in ways that are different to other industries because of the social harm making them illegal would cause. That’s why we need a Vice Tax on business activity whose social damage doesn’t get covered by the taxation they pay!

Gambling, Tobacco & Booze, all of them need the heavy jack boot of the State on their throats at all time!

The Vice tax would be special super tax on top of the total profits made on products that are a blight upon society.

Why should the Gambling Booze Tobacco Barons peddle their harmful products with the barest of responsibility?

Rather than constantly making it a tax the consumer pays, hit the booze barons, Tobacco Pimps and Gambling dealers with a ring-fenced super tax on their profits margins.

To allow 8000 to die because National want tax cuts for their rich mates is outrageous!

Casey Costello is part of a new breed of political predator lobbyists who were former consultants, who gained list representation in ACT and NZ First, and who are now ruthlessly implementing pro industry policy that they previously represented.

Nicole Mckee, Todd Stephenson, Shane Jones and Winston are all part of this new clique.

The Tobacco Industry are laughing all the way to the bank as this Government cut them a $216m sweet heart deal…

‘Most benefit’ of government’s tobacco tax cuts will go to tobacco company Philip Morris, officials told Casey Costello

…put aside the obscenity of giving the tobacco Industry a $216m subsidy when we can’t afford public health, every Kiwi should be ashamed that this hard right, racist, climate denying, beneficiary bashing, disabled abusing Government is in power manufacturing an austerity crisis while they cut sweetheart deals for their donor class.

Dear NZ.

You have sided with “I’m rich and I’m sorted’ because you hated Jacinda for having the temerity to save 20 000 lives during a once in a century pandemic. Perhaps you need to reflect on your spite and how your anger was manipulated by National, ACT and NZF into this harvest of malice.

Increasingly having independent opinion in a mainstream media environment which mostly echo one another has become more important than ever, so if you value having an independent voice – please donate here.