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Cigarette Smoking Mortality Amongst Māori, 1954-2028

Date of publication: 1998

This report provides an estimation of deaths attributable to cigarette smoking among Māori and projects how many Māori lives could be saved under different smoking rate scenarios.

The report was prepared for Te Puni Kokiri by Murray Laugesen and Mark Clements for Health New Zealand.

Smoking is one of the leading health problems facing Māori .

This, however is the first time a report of this nature has been produced and the results are disconcerting.

Smoking kills

Number of deaths annually attributable to cigarettes

Cigarette smoking accounted for 31 percent of all annual Māori deaths during 1989-93 as compared to 17 percent of all deaths in the total population.

Proportion of major diseases in Māori attributable to cigarettes

Among Māori 41 percent of cancer deaths, 33 percent of circulatory deaths, and 62 percent of respiratory deaths were attributable to cigarette smoking.

Proportion of adult deaths

Of adult Māori cigarette-attributable deaths, 78 % were in middle age (35-69 years) and only 22 per cent in old age (70 years and over). In non-Māori 41 per cent of cigarette deaths are in middle age.

International comparisons

Comparing middle-age mortality from all causes country by country, Māori had a risk intermediate between the risks experienced in India and China.

Nearly half of Māori deaths in middle age are attributable to smoking. Non-Māori had risks similar to other industrialised (OECD) countries.

Future numbers of deaths from smoking

Total Māori deaths from smoking are expected to double within 30 years, mainly due to aging of the population.

Although cigarette death rates are falling in men, the Māori population aged 35 years and over, at which age cigarette mortality occurs, is projected to multiply two and a half times in the next 30 years.

What needs to be done
  • Smoking Cessation programmes among Māori need to be increased, by whatever means are shown to be effective
  • Health advertising campaigns with toll free lines, information, advice, and counselling
  • Enforcement of the law banning underage sales to adolescents: Further enforcement of smokefree environments and of under-age sales legislation in high Māori population areas could help to reduce Māori smoking in those areas
  • Smokefree environments: Further law changes are needed to make more environments frequented by Māori smokefree - non-office work areas, child care centres, schools, bars, and housie halls
  • Regulations: Regulations are needed to secure stronger health warnings and to reduce harmful constituents and high nicotine levels in cigarettes.



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