As the largest single preventable cause of cancer, smoking is a key area of work for the Cancer Society. We are committed to promoting a tobacco-free New Zealand through continued policy advocacy and innovative programmes.

The human cost of smoking in New Zealanders is extremely high. Smoking killed 171,000 Kiwis in 50 years (between 1950 to 2000). Today it is estimated that 4700 people die due to smoking each year.

New Zealand has benefited from a comprehensive mix of interventions however much more needs to be done to control new types of marketing, the way tobacco is sold and the action of the tobacco industry.

Some of the key areas of the Cancer Society's smokefree work have been our campaign for tobacco to be stored 'out of sight' in shops and the expansion of smokefree outdoor areas through local Councils.
There is a new movement for Tobacco Control and that is CANTOBACCO- Protect Our Children. This a campaign we at the Cancer Society are committed to and will lead towards a tobacco free Aotearoa in 2025.