New Zealand’s announcement on the repealing of a stringent anti-tobacco law, sparking concerns about its impact on public health and the tobacco industry’s profits. The decision is set to take effect in July 2024.
Wellington: The Government of New Zealand on Tuesday announced the abrogation of a law prohibiting the sale of tobacco-based products to future generations. This move is set to go on-ground in July 2024. The prohibition of sales of tobacco-based products to those born after January 1, 2009 is considered one of the toughest anti-tobacco rules in the world.
This law not only prohibits the sale of tobacco products to the new generation but also directs the sellers to cut the nicotine content of smoked tobacco products and reduce the number of tobacco retailers by more than 90 percent.
Why Is The Law Being Repealed?
The New Zealand government stated urgency as the reason to repeal this law in order to avoid public commentary. Casey Costello, Associate Health Minister of New Zealand, outlined the government’s emphasis on reducing smoking by using other regulatory methods that discourage the habit of consuming tobacco based products.
Costello further announced the upcoming decisions of the cabinet to provide more resources to help individuals quit smoking and implementation of strict rules on vaping.
Major Loss For Public Health
The decision has raised worries about its disproportionate impact on Maori and Pasifika groups, who have greater rates of smoking, despite criticism over possible health consequences in New Zealand.
Boyd Swinburn, co-chair of Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA) referred to this decision as a major loss for public health and a big win for the tobacco industry, whose profits will grow at the cost of Kiwi lives.
Concerns Over Abrogation Of Anti-Smoking Law
HCA further referred to different scholarly studies that state that proper regulation of tobacco products for a period of 20 years could result in a decreased death ratio and also could have saved $1.3 Bn.
According to Sarah Jackson, Principal Research Fellow in the University College London Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group, this decision could pose a threat to the plans of other countries.
“There is a risk that New Zealand’s U-turn could prompt policymakers in England to reconsider,” she said.
Measures Taken By Govt
According to reports, the government will also impose taxes only on smoked goods and change laws governing substitutes like vapes, prohibiting the sale of disposable vapes and stiffening penalties for retailers who sell them to minors.
According to Deborah Arnott, CEO of UK health charity ASH, smoking costs the public purse almost twice as much as it brings in from tobacco taxes.
Toughest Anti-Smoking Law
The Government of New Zealand introduced the toughest anti-smoking law, prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to minors, in 2023. This law stopped the sale of tobacco products to children aged 14 and below.
The law banned the sale of tobacco to anybody born on or after January 1, 2009. It further stated that a penalty of up to NZ$150,000 ($95,910) may also be imposed in addition to the lifetime prohibition. The goal of these regulations was to declare New Zealand “smoke-free” by 2025.