The Central Otago Drug and Alcohol coalition (CODA) is advocating to reduce alcohol and nicotine harm by supporting bills to limit the number of retailers selling tobacco products and alcohol sponsorship and advertising.

CODA is a coalition of groups based in Central working to achieve a Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 for our community. Membership includes representatives from a variety of health, social service, and community organisations.

Along with a written submission supporting the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill, CODA acting chair Jamie Seymour spoke to the Health Select Committee late in September. 

Acting CODA chair Jamie Seymour 

“[CODA] would like the committee to introduce all the safeguards outlined in this bill, to protect our whānau from the deadliest consumer product in modern times.

Tobacco and vaping

“Consider the ethics of allowing the sale of a product that will kill two thirds of its long term users when used as directed,” Jamie said.

CODA’s view was that tobacco is not safe at any age and should not be accessible to future generations.

“Our coalition would like to see [the legislation] go further by creating a nicotine free generation, ideally we would like to see a future where our whānau are free from nicotine addiction.” 

Jamie said young people experimenting with smoking do not comprehend what living with an addiction would be like, and are unable to understand the risks and consequences of lifelong smoking.

Young people experimenting with vape liquids, which contain two to four times more nicotine than a packet of cigarettes, is also of concern as the risks and long term effects are not fully understood. 

She shared the story of a local student who had six of her seven flatmates vaping. They all began vaping at high school and are now battling with nicotine addiction, trying to quit and failing, unable to get to sleep at night or out of bed without a vape.

With a vape store a three minute walk from the flat the student said it was “extremely difficult to resist temptation, every time they fail to quit their confidence is knocked making it less likely for them to attempt quitting again”.

CODA’s submission said ccross Central Otago there are 52 known tobacco retailers (90 per cent are within 1km of schools) and two known specialist vape retailers (both within 1km of schools); and while the number of general vape retailers is unknown, logic suggests they are sold at the known tobacco retailers (such as supermarkets, dairies, petrol stations).

CODA recommended stores selling tobacco should not be permitted to cluster in any given area and particularly not near schools or in deprived areas.

Watch CODA’s video here.

Alcohol regulation

With regard to The Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Harm Minimisation) Bill, CODA members signed the Alcohol Healthwatch petition and wrote to local Ministers of Parliament (MPs) to ask for their support of the legislation, particularly around ending alcohol sponsorship of broadcast sport.

Alcohol Healthwatch, an organisation of professionals dedicated to reducing and preventing alcohol-related harm and inequities, is funded by the Ministry of Health and has coordinated support for Chlöe Swarbrick’s private member’s bill. 

Part one of the bill abolishes appeals on local alcohol policies “in order to provide proper local control over alcohol regulation”. 

Local alcohol policies can specify where new alcohol outlets (e.g. pubs, bottle stores, etc.) can be located, whether they can be close to other existing alcohol outlets or near sensitive sites (e.g. schools and churches), as well as their opening and closing hours.

Alcohol Healthwatch says while local alcohol policies were intended to give communities greater input into local alcohol licensing decisions, “this hasn’t happened”.

Part two of the bill implements recommendations of the 2014 Ministerial Forum on Alcohol Advertising and Sponsorship, which aim to reduce young people’s exposure to messages that encourage them to drink alcohol. 

The bill needs the support of 61 MPs to pass its first reading and CODA said “drumming up as much support from the community as possible” was important.  

Useful links

* Help to stop smoking (Te Whatu Ora Southern)

* Alcohol harm reduction (Te Whatu Ora Southern) 

PHOTOS: Supplied