After that, tobacco may no longer be sold to people born on or after January 1, 2009. The new laws are expected to take effect next year. New Zealand’s government, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, aims to make the country “smoke-free” by 2025.
The number of licensed tobacco outlets must also be reduced from 6,000 to 600 by the end of 2023. In addition, the nicotine content in tobacco-containing products must be reduced. The measures are among the strictest in the world: violations can lead to fines of up to 150,000 dollars (almost 90,000 francs).
“There is no good reason to allow the sale of a product that kills half of the people who use it,” deputy health minister Ayesha Verrall said in parliament. Healthcare will also save billions if diseases such as cancer, heart attacks and strokes, which can also be caused by smoking, no longer need to be treated.
According to the Bureau of Statistics, eight percent of all New Zealanders smoke every day. In 2021, 9.4 percent of the population would still smoke.
(SDA)