New Zealand's approach is likely to result in significant health benefits.
In what could be described as one of the world's toughest crackdowns on the tobacco industry, legislation prohibiting the sale of tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2009, has passed its third reading in New Zealand. It is yet another step toward the government's goal of making the country smoke-free by 2025.
According to The Guardian, the number of stores legally permitted to sell cigarettes will be reduced by a tenth, from 6,000 to 600 across the country. The laws passed their final reading on Tuesday evening and will go into effect in 2023, as New Zealand strives to become "smoke-free" by 2025.
Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall stated during the law's passage on Tuesday that "thousands of people will live longer, healthier lives, and the health system will be $5 billion better off from not needing to treat the illnesses caused by smoking, such as numerous types of cancer, heart attacks, strokes, and amputations."
According to The New Zealand Herald, the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill makes three main changes:
- Lowering the nicotine content of smoked tobacco products
- Minimizing the number of tobacco-selling retailers
- Making sure tobacco is not sold at all to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009.
The bill is now set to become law after passing its final reading in Parliament with support from Labour, the Greens, and Te Paati Maori.
The smoking rate in New Zealand is already low, with only 8% of adults smoking daily, down from 9.4% a year and a half ago and half the rate compared to ten years ago.