Tobacco control in New Zealand from 1945 to 1961

The 1945 to 1961 period was characterised by a significant increase in the international scientific knowledge of the health risks of smoking. Despite this, there was relatively little response by the New Zealand Government, t he New Zealand medical profession and other local agencies. Specific tobacc o control activities were virtually limited to some episodic and low profil e publicity measures, and an incidental increase in tobacco taxation. This limited response may have partly been due to the slow diffusion of the heal th risk information to health professionals in this country and the presenc e of other more obvious health concerns (such as polio epidemics). Other re asons may have been the absence of a New Zealand research base, the lack of focused advocacy groups, political wariness about using tobacco taxation, a minimalist approach by government to product safety regulation and the ma jor extent to which smoking was normalised within New Zealand society.