Cigarettes - out of sight out of mind

The Green Party has renewed its call for a ban on point of sale displays of cigarettes and tobacco products following the results of a Cancer Society survey.

The survey showed that nearly half of smokers thought point of sale displays made it harder to kick the habit.

“It makes perfect sense that these displays encourage smokers to buy. Tobacco companies would not want to keep them if they didn’t,” Associate Health Spokesperson Metiria Turei says.

“These displays are designed to keep cigarettes in plain sight at the counter. They trigger impulse buying, make it even harder for those smokers who are trying to give up and encourage new smokers to get hooked.

“The co-location of cigarettes near lollies sends the wrong signals to children, suggesting that cigarettes are easy consumables.

“Putting them out of sight under the counter takes away all that temptation and committed smokers will continue to purchase tobacco regardless,” Mrs Turei says.