Those born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products. New Zealand will ban the sale of tobacco to young people, with the ultimate goal of eliminating smoking altogether. Under a law expected to be passed next year, people born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products for the rest of their lives. “We want to prevent young people from taking up smoking in the first place,” said Health Minister Aisha Verrall. The ban is part of sweeping anti-smoking measures announced Thursday by New Zealand’s Ministry of Health.
Doctors and other health experts in the country have welcomed the reforms, which will reduce access to tobacco and limit the amount of nicotine in cigarettes. “This will help people quit or switch to less harmful products and significantly reduce the likelihood of nicotine addiction in young people,” said Professor Janet Hook from the University of Otago. New Zealand has set a goal to reduce the number of smokers in the country to 5% by 2025 and eventually to stop smoking altogether.
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Currently, about 13% of New Zealand’s adult population smokes – down from 18% 10 years ago. But among the indigenous population, the Maori, this figure is much higher – about 31%. Mortality rates and the prevalence of serious diseases are also higher among Maori. New Zealand’s Ministry of Health states that smoking is the cause of 25% of cancer cases among its five million people and remains the leading cause of preventable death.
Legislators have been attacking the tobacco industry for more than 10 years. As part of the measures announced Thursday, the government has also tightened control over tobacco sales, significantly restricting the sale of cigarettes in supermarkets and small shops. According to officials, the number of stores allowed to sell cigarettes will be reduced from about eight thousand to 500.
In recent years, vaping – electronic cigarettes that deliver a nicotine-infused vapor – has gained popularity among young people. Today, vaping is more popular than traditional cigarettes. However, health officials in New Zealand warn that vaping is not harmless – researchers have found dangerous carcinogens in e-cigarette liquids. However, in 2017, vaping was accepted in the country as a way to help smokers quit.