Ben Youdan: ASH Director on a mass drop in people smoking cigarettes - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

A major drop in national smoking rates means Smoke-Free 2025 is looking much more attainable.

The annual New Zealand Health Survey shows about one in eight adults smoke cigarettes daily,making it one of the lowest in the world.

There has also been a drop in smoking rates for Maori, with women now less likely to smoke daily than men.

ASH Director Ben Youdan says the big drop is very, very encouraging.

He says it's not just about getting the whole population's smoking rate down, it's about getting the rates for the most vulnerable populations down.

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