- Advertisement -
HomeWORLDNew Zealand plans to impose ban on cigarettes

New Zealand plans to impose ban on cigarettes

New Zealand will ban the sale of tobacco to its next generation, in a bid to eventually phase out smoking. Anyone born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in their lifetime, under a law expected to be enacted next year.

“We want to make sure young people never start smoking,” Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verall said.

Currently, New Zealand outlaws tobacco sales to those under 18, and now the country’s associate health minister said that from 2027, the age ban would increase by one year annually to keep the cohort smoke-free. The move is part of a sweeping crackdown on smoking announced by New Zealand’s health ministry on Thursday.

New Zealand’s retail tobacco industry is already among the most restricted in the world — just after Bhutan, which has a complete ban on cigarette sales. But the government said tougher steps are needed to achieve its goal of fewer than 5% of the population smoking daily by 2025.

Also Read: Around 9,800 teachers vacancies in central universities, IIT and IIM: Center

The government expects that the new rules will halve New Zealand’s smoking rates in as few as 10 years from when they take effect.

The plan is set to be introduced into parliament in June next year as the government aims to get it signed into law by the end of 2022.

Smoking kills about 5,000 people a year in New Zealand, making it one of the country’s top causes of preventable death. Four in five smokers started before age 18, the country’s government said.

Health authorities welcomed the crackdown, while retailers expressed concern about the impact on their businesses and warned of the emergence of a black market.

The government did not give specifics about how the new rules would be policed or whether and how they would apply to visitors to the country.

(With inputs from BCC News)

Enter Your Email To get daily Newsletter in your inbox

- Advertisement -

Latest Post

Latest News

- Advertisement -