[Intl-tobacco] NZ: Maoris sue state for 'luring them into smoking' (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Maoris sue state for 'luring them into smoking'
Source: Electronic Telegraph, Thursday, 4/20/00

MAORIS filed a lawsuit for damages against the New Zealand government
yesterday, claiming that European settlers introduced them to smoking.

 They say successive governments have encouraged them to smoke for the
past 160 years and have profited from the taxes raised on cigarettes and
tobacco they have bought.

 Papers were filed with the Waitangi Tribunal, a quasi-judicial body which
hears indigenous grievance cases, in what is being regarded as the first
step towards a High Court action. The tobacco firms may also be named as
defendants at a later stage.

 Helen Clark, the Prime Minister, has ordered an investigation into
whether the government should consider suing the tobacco companies for the
cost to the health service of treating diseases attributed to smoking.

 Yesterday's action was lodged by lawyers acting for "Bubbles" Mihinui,
80, a guide in the tourist centre of Rotorua, and the Maori Council, an
umbrella group of Maori tribal interests. Mrs Mihinui, who has smoked
since she was 20, claims she became a compulsive smoker, able to give up
the habit only for Lent.

 The papers claim that Maoris have been affected by the failure of the
Crown to provide equitably for Maori health services and education. They
also claim that the tax raised from Maori smokers is "disproportionate to
government expenditure on Maori hospitalisation from smoking-related
causes".

 The tobacco plant was introduced to New Zealand by Captain James Cook and
its use became widespread when European settlers began to arrive in large
numbers early in the 19th century. Once Maoris acquired the smoking habit,
tobacco became an unofficial currency along with guns, blankets and
whisky. Maoris smoke twice as much as the rest of the population and
statistics show that they suffer disproportionately from smoking-related
illnesses.