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New Zealand Herald - Derek Cheng - 1 July 2010
Mohi Waihi is a 64-year-old Maori man with the heart of a 40-year-old woman.
He had a heart transplant in 2005 after suffering five heart attacks, brought on by heart disease.
Yesterday, the former heavy smoker brought his old heart to the Maori Affairs select committee, which is holding an inquiry into the tobacco industry.
Tobacco giant agrees young people should not smoke
Te Karere 30 June 2010
Includes interview with Mahinarangi Torrey
Radio New Zealand - 30 June 2010
A tobacco company has told MPs investigating restrictions on cigarette sales that plain packaging would hinder competition.
Ex-smoker presents diseased heart to MPs
Stuff.co.nz - 30 June 2010
A former smoker bought his diseased heart to Parliament for MPs to look at today, just minutes before tobacco company Philip Morris' representatives fronted to defend their company.
Mohi Waihi, a quietly spoken Maori man, told the Maori Affairs select committee, which is holding an inquiry into the tobacco industry, of his five heart attacks caused by smoking-related disease.
Mr Waihi started smoking when he was 19 and only stopped when he had a heart transplant in 2005. He was immensely grateful to the 40-year-old female donor, but said most people were not as lucky as him and died. Around 22 percent of Maori deaths were attributable to smoking.
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Health groups and advisers also appeared before the committee and two teenagers, Leroy Brown from Christchurch and Mahinarangi from Palmerston North, were invited to sit up beside Mr Harawira during the hearing. Mr Brown told MPs how he was raised by his grandparents who both smoked even though there wasn't enough money for food. They had now given up.
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30 June 2010 | NZAAHD
New Zealand Aotearoa Adolescent Health and Development (NZAAHD) is calling for stiffer measures to be placed on the tobacco industry, to help reduce the high number of young Maori smokers. More >>
Time For Evolution To A Tobacco Free Nation
Te Reo Marama - Press Release 29 June 2010
Marae under attack from smoking, inquiry told
New Zealand Herald - Martin Johnston - 8 March 2010
Maori told the parliamentary tobacco inquiry today that their marae were being undermined by tobacco smoking and the associated early death of their elders.
"Our marae are under attack," said Kiri Potaka-Dewes, the chairwoman of Te Roopu Hauora o Te Arawa - the Te Arawa health board.
"Many marae are bereft of kaumatua that should be there leading by good role models for our young. But they die prematurely from heart problems, diabetes, all sorts. It can all be related back to the impact of tobacco.
Mrs Potaka-Dewes was addressing the Maori affairs select committee, which is investigating the historical actions of the tobacco industry to promote tobacco use among Maori, the effects of smoking on Maori individuals and society, and what new tobacco control measures could be considered.
Nearly 50 per cent of Maori adults are smokers, compared to around 20 per cent of the total adult population. Maori women have the highest smoking rate of any ethnic/gender grouping.
"Young Maori women are being targeted by tobacco companies and they [the companies] are enjoying considerable success," said Mrs Potaka-Dewes. "They are the mothers of our future generations."
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See Also:
Have your say on tobacco
Tobacco tax rise
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