Jacinda Ardern has slammed tobacco giant Philip Morris for not being "genuine" in their concern for Kiwis' health today.
The Prime Minister's comments today come after the US company said it intends to phase out selling cigarettes in New Zealand but is calling for a tax break on smokefree tobacco stick products it sells .
"If they were genuine about it, they can choose to stop selling cigarettes," Ms Ardern told media in Christchurch today.
"I think if they [Philip Morris] are really focused on reducing harm, ending the pre-mature deaths caused by smoking then just not selling cigarettes would make a huge contribution."
Ms Ardern says the Government has acknowledged the new and emerging market of vaping, and are keeping a close eye on the evidence based around it.
She says there are certain health benefits when someone transitions from smoking to vaping but adds that "tax breaks don’t have to be their [Philip Morris] sole motivating factor I would’ve hoped."
"Excuse my cynicism towards a company that is for a number of years made an extraordinary amount of money on cigarettes."
Philip Morris plan to eventually sell only non-combustible tobacco sticks, designed to be heated from the inside instead of being burned.
They claim they want to help New Zealand achieve their smoke-free by 2025 goal.
National Tobacco Control Advocacy Service general manager Mihi Blair told RNZ, "If Philip Morris was very serious about it, they would just stop it [selling cigarettes] right now."
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