New Zealand will ban smoking for life for future generations
The New Zealand government believes it has come up with a unique plan to end smoking and is introducing a lifetime smoking ban law for those 14 and under.
The minimum age to buy cigarettes will continue to increase each year, according to the new regulation, which the government announced on Thursday and plans to become law next year.
This means that, in theory, at least 65 years after the law comes into effect, shoppers can still buy cigarettes – only if they can prove they are at least 80 years old.
In practice, officials hope that smoking will be eradicated many years from now. Indeed, the law aims to have less than 5% of New Zealanders smoking by 2025.
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Other parts of the plan include allowing the sale of only very low nicotine tobacco products and reducing the number of stores that can sell them. Changes will be introduced over time to help retailers adapt.
As the current minimum age to buy cigarettes in New Zealand is 18, a lifetime youth smoking ban will have no effect in a few years.
New Zealand Deputy Health Minister Dr. “Every day, you meet someone who faces the misery caused by tobacco,” Verrall said in an interview with The Associated Press (AP). “The most gruesome form of human death is shortness of breath caused by tobacco.” she said.
She also announced the “Smoke-Free 2025 Action Plan” in her speech in the parliament.
Verrall reported that the plan will be enacted to raise a generation of non-smokers in the country.
Stating that those who will be 14 years old and younger in the New Year will no longer be able to buy cigarettes, Verrall underlined that it would be a crime to sell or provide cigarettes to those born in 2008 and later.
Verrall stated that the number of markets selling tobacco products will be greatly reduced, and that the changes will not be implemented immediately, and that the sellers will be given time to create a new business model.
Ayesha Verrall noted that with the law that will come into effect, only cigarettes with low nicotine content will be sold.
“A historic day”
“This is a historic day for the future of our people,” Verrall said in his speech. she continued.
Emphasizing that smoking is the main cause of one out of every four cancers and preventable deaths in the country, Verrall said that they saw the positive effect of the price hikes on cigarettes.
Verrall stated that thanks to the law, which will include support measures for smokers, both young people will be prevented from starting smoking and those who want to quit will be helped.
On the other hand, tobacco companies operating around the world reacted to the law to be enacted in New Zealand.
