While New Zealandโs Prime Minister, Jacinda Arden, is no stranger to international headlines, the countryโs legislation, however, rarely receives the same treatment.
That was until a new controversial bill banning people born in or after 2009 from purchasing cigarettes put New Zealandโs law reform in the spotlight.
In a world first, a series of strict new anti-smoking laws have been passed through Parliament this week as part of the governmentโs Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan.
As part of this action plan, the new legislation ensures that young people will not be able to legally obtain cigarettes or tobacco for the entirety of their lifetime.
This bill, when introduced into law, will impact those born on or after January 1 2009, meaning even after this demographic turns 18 they will still be prohibited from purchasing tobacco.
Fines of up to $150,000 NZD will reportedly be issued to anyone found violating the new law.
Below, everything you need to know about the historic law.
What Does New Zealandโs Lifetime Smoking Ban Entail?
The series of new laws introduced by New Zealandโs parliament are part of a policy to make the country smoke free by 2050.
According to the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill, these laws are aimed at making โsmoked tobacco products less appealing and addictiveโ and โprevent young people from taking up smoking by prohibiting the sale of smoked tobacco productsโ.
As per the initial briefing form, the laws affecting this new โsmoke free generationโ will come into effect in 2027 โwhen this cohort turns 18โ.
โThese changes are intended to prevent youth, and every generation to follow, from ever taking up smoking,โ reads the bill.
Speaking on the legislation, New Zealandโs Associate Health Minister, Dr. Ayesha Verrall, remarked in a statement that โthousands of people will live longer, healthier livesโ.
โThe 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, amputations,โ she added.
Alongside this strict new law, the bill will decrease the retailers around the country to a tenth of the size of what they are now, slashing some 6000 tobacco retailers down to just 600.
Unless the retailer is an approved smoked tobacco retailer, the proprietor will be prohibited from selling products 18 months after the billโs commencement, as per the new amendment.
โIt means nicotine will be reduced to non-addictive levels and communities will be free from the proliferation and clustering of retailers who target and sell tobacco products in certain areas,โ explained Verrall.
โThese measures are important for equitable health for Mฤori. They will close the life expectancy gap for Mฤori women by 25% and by 10% for Mฤori men.
โWeโve done well as a country to get to this point, but there is more to do. Thatโs why the legislation passed โฆ is so important. It puts us firmly on the path to Smokefree 2025.โ
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