- James Gregory
- BBC
Anyone born following 2008 will not be able to purchase cigarettes or tobacco products
New Zealand will gradually introduce a near-tobacco ban from next year.
The legislation, passed by Parliament on Tuesday, means that anyone born following 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products.
This will mean that the number of people able to buy tobacco will shrink each year. By 2050, for example, it will no longer be possible for 40-year-olds to buy cigarettes.
Health Minister Aisha Ferral, who introduced the bill, said it was a step “towards a smoke-free future”.
“Thousands of people will live longer, healthier lives and the health system will be in NZ$5 billion (US$3.2 billion) better, with no need to treat diseases caused by smoking,” Ferrall said.
The smoking rate in New Zealand has already fallen to historic levels. Only 8% of adults smoke daily, according to government statistics released in November, down from 9.4% last year.
It is hoped that the Smoke-Free Environments Bill will reduce this percentage to less than 5% by 2025, with the ultimate goal of eliminating the practice entirely.
The bill is also designed to limit the number of retailers able to sell tobacco products for smoking to 600 nationwide, down from 6,000 currently, and reduce nicotine levels in products to make them less addictive.
“This means that nicotine will be reduced to non-addictive levels and communities will be free from the proliferation and agglomeration of retailers, who target and sell tobacco products in certain areas,” Ferral said.
She added that the legislation might narrow the difference in life expectancy between Māori and non-Māori. The overall smoking rate among Maori people was 19.9%, down from last year’s figure of 22.3%.
The new legislation does not ban e-cigarette products, which are becoming more popular among younger generations than cigarettes.
Critics of the bill, including the 10-seat Akt party in parliament, have warned that the policy might fuel a black market for tobacco products and kill small shops.
“No one wants to see people smoke, but the truth is some will, and state bans will cause problems,” said Brock van Velden, the party’s vice president.
