(Photo from Wikipedia)
The following is a reply to the PM office, and below that their reply to my direct request, published in the last update.
Note the terms 'criminal' and 'corrupt' used with the justification for such heavy allegations clearly explained.
The request of course asked what is he going to do about the current abusive behaviour of the government to New Zealanders, putting their lives at risk due to lies in profoundly understating risks of vapes and in heavily promoting them within the 'risks of vaping' online material, the extraordinary support for the industry under the guise that it is all to help tobacco smokers quit while the government makes vast sums from 15% of each sale, licencing etc, no back up quitting programmes etc.
'Dear Charlotte
I don't think your office has understood the letter.
Your reply is identical to previous replies from this office made before National and the other 2 parties became government, and is erroneous.
The sentence ' we support the government's measures to reduce the number of people taking up vaping' is an indication it was written then.
It is the Labour government, whom you ostensibly support in this area, who put online the extraordinary messaging, demonstrated in the video included in my letter and which was downloaded from the M of Health online advice about vaping, and their amendments allow all! retailers to obtain a licence to display and sell vapes, and they had no quitting programmes for those trying to quit vaping or nicotine addiction etc.
National is the lead party and must take responsibility to stop the criminal actions clearly described in the letter.
Extraordinary understatement about health risks of a hazardous product, the sale of which the government robustly supports, and from which it obtains considerable funds is clearly corrupt.
I want the 'triumvirate' to work. At the moment it, as was the previous government in this area, knowingly destroying lives for financial gain.
The use of vapes to help tobacco smokers quit does not justify such deception, all the marketing etc etc
Mr Luxon should look at what his own Ministry of Health states. It is in the letter. I can be ignored but the facts less easily.
Regards
Mary MacGibbon'
On 23/01/2024, at 1:40 PM, Christopher Luxon <Christopher.Luxon@parliament.govt.nz> wrote:
Kia ora Mary,
Thank you for reaching out to Christopher Luxon. He appreciates people taking the time to share their feedback, concerns and ideas.
We have been hearing from parents, principals, and teachers most weeks about how vaping is impacting our young people. While vaping was introduced so that it could help people come off smoking, it has created a whole new addiction for young people.
Educators and public health experts want New Zealand to follow Australia's lead and ban recreational vaping to address what they describe as a growing epidemic amongst young people. We support the Government's measures to reduce the number of young people taking up vaping and will be closely watching what is happening in Australia. National have always said we have got our vaping settings wrong in New Zealand and we think it is time to have a good look at what we can do to discourage people – especially young people – from taking it up.
Thank you once again for taking the time to write; it is very much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Charlotte Horner
Prime Minister’s Office
Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
national.org.nz
From: Mary MacGibbon
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2024 8:50 AM
To: Christopher Luxon <Christopher.Luxon@parliament.govt.nz>
Cc: David Seymour <David.Seymour@parliament.govt.nz>; Winston Peters <Winston.Peters@parliament.govt.nz>; Diana.Sarfati@health.govt.nz; Rt Hon Chris Hipkins <Chris.Hipkins@parliament.govt.nz>; news@rnz.co.nz; New Zealand Herald <newsdesk@nzherald.co.nz>; Ben Lowings <newsroom@stuff.co.nz>; Michael Baker <michael.baker@otago.ac.nz>
(also sent to Shane Reti)
Subject: A request to the Prime Minister
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjhITheN9I0
Please, look at this if you haven't yet.
If it is not promoting Juul et al and criminally understating vaping health risks I will eat my hat.
(There appears currently to be no Head of the Dept of Public Health, a body which advises the Ministry of Health, so I have included in the cc'd recipients Dr Michael Baker, one of the directors of research in the department.)
As provided before to MPs, health leaders and media outlets, the following are instructive:
1. Information for NZ public on vaping risks
2. That for US public
3. What is in the vape aerosol
4 The American Cancer Society states vapes should not be used to quit tobacco smoking
5. Lung.org describes profound concerns about vaping
This gives a little insight into both the grip the tobacco/vape corporations have on the government and the government's willingness to lie to the public about vaping while massively both endorsing and profiting from vape sales.
This, the lack of vape or nicotine quitting programmes, NZ primary and secondary school children addicted to vaping, school principals deeply concerned, every retailer legally able to obtain a licence to display and sell vapes as the Labour amendment supports, etc, are NOT justified by a desire to assist tobacco smokers to vape, the Labour government's stated justification for licencing vaping.
The Labour government and the new National-led government if it does not act promptly are guilty of abusing and increasing morbidity, mortality and psychological torment in a generation of New Zealanders.
What are you going to do about it Mr Luxon?
Regards
Mary MacGibbon (PhD)
(contact details supplied)
1 https://vapingfacts.health.nz/the-facts-of-vaping/risks-of-vaping/
2. https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/knowtherisks.html#aerosol-exposure
3. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_of_electronic_cigarette_aerosol#:~:text=The%20e%2Dcigarette%20aerosol%20usually,e%2Dcigarette%20aerosols%20vary%20greatly
4. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/tobacco/e-cigarettes-vaping/e-cigarette-position-statement.html
5. https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/e-cigarettes-vaping