In a recent letter to the Prime Minister, The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners extended full support for hiking the excise tax on tobacco as a measure aimed to reduce smoking rates in New Zealand.

In addition, the letter also reveals for imposing extra tax income from the increase to smoking cessation programmes.

The college has informed the Maori Affairs Select Committee's inquiry into the tobacco industry that such a tax would specially target low income earners, Maori and Pacific smokers, at-risk youth and patients suffering from chronic illnesses whose health is further exacerbated by smoking.

College President Harry Pert quoted, "There is evidence that those who spend a higher proportion of their income on tobacco are most likely to reduce their tobacco use after a price increase".

The College is revealed to be working with the Smokefree Coalition to work on implementing further measures to squeeze smoking rates.

The College extended its full backing today towards oral submissions on the effect of smoking on Maori to the Maori Affairs Select Committee.