Abstract: An analysis of policy making structure and process within the department of Health concerned with the issue of smoking and health. This paper deals with an important area of public policy both in terms of process and substance. It attempts to identify how policy is made in New Zealand. How policy is determined by the elected representative of the people and how far policy is made by the permanent state employees. The way political power is brought to bear in policy implementation is examined, as is the question: What level of policy research and analysis on smoking and health is affected in New Zealand? Attention is directed towards complex ideas of participation, representation and minority rights as well as to democratic theory in relation to cause and influence of conflict, public opinion formation, interest group influence and public policy making