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National | Cancer

Lung Foundation seeks funding for NZ's deadliest cancer

Today marks World Lung Cancer Day and the Lung Foundation is seeking better funding to treat New Zealand’s deadliest cancer.

The death toll every year for lung cancer in New Zealand is four times the national road toll, with over 1800 Kiwis dying from the illness,

Lung cancer rates are four times higher in Māori women and three times in Māori men than non-Māori, and one in 5 people diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked.

Every year more people in New Zealand die of lung cancer than breast cancer, prostate cancer, and melanoma combined.

Yet only 3% of tobacco tax is allocated to stop smoking and tobacco control programmes.

Therefore allowing no money from tobacco tax to go towards lung health promotion, early detection or more effective treatments that are now available for lung cancer.