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The difference in mortality between current and never-smokers varies over time, affecting future projections of health gains from tobacco control. We examine this heterogeneity by sex, ethnicity and cause of death on absolute and relative scales using New Zealand census data. These data included smoking status, and were linked to subsequent mortality records in 1981–84, 1996–99 and 2006–11 for 25–74 year olds (16.1 million person-years of follow-up). Age-standardised mortality rates and rate differences (SRDs) were calculated comparing current to never-smokers, and Poisson regression was used to adjust for multiple socioeconomic factors and household smoking. We found that mortality declined over time in never-smokers; however, mortality trends in current-smokers varied by sex, ethnicity and cause of death. SRDs were stable over time in European/Other men, moderately widened in European/Other …