The law would have prohibited the sale of cigarettes to everyone born after 2008 starting in the next year in New Zealand.
According to the new government, the country’s world-class smoking prohibition would be repealed in order to pay for tax breaks. The former administration, led by Jacinda Ardern, introduced the legislation.
To prevent younger generations from acquiring the smoking habit, the rule would have prohibited the sale of cigarettes to everyone born after 2008 starting the next year.
The abrupt reversal was harshly criticized by medical professionals. At the University of Otago, Professor Richard Edwards, a specialist in public health and tobacco control, stated, “We are appalled and disgusted… this is an incredibly retrograde step on world-leading, absolutely excellent health measures.” The government’s actions have horrified the majority of health groups in New Zealand, who are urging them to retract their actions.
“The government is flying in the face of public opinion and obviously in the face of the vast majority of people who work in this field, health professionals, doctors, nurses,” he said.
Research models supported the main measures in the legislation, which included limiting the number of tobacco merchants and lowering the nicotine content of cigarettes. The act had received praise from all across the world.
The UK government, led by Rishi Sunak, was influenced by the rules of New Zealand to declare a smoking ban for minors in September.
Following claims by certain New Zealand politicians, notably the country’s new prime minister Chris Luxon, that the prohibition would create a black market for tobacco, the decision was reversed. The government would totally overturn the legislation, according to Nicola Willis, the newly appointed finance minister.
“We have to keep in mind that the changes to the Smokefree legislation had a significant impact on the government books, with about a billion dollars there,” Nicola Willis stated.
The chair of the Action for Smokefree 2025 committee in New Zealand, Emeritus Prof. Robert Beaglehole, expressed dismay at the idea that smokers might have to pay more in taxes.
By 2025, New Zealand still wants to lower its overall smoking rate to 5%.
