New Zealand to ban cigarettes for future generations

Wellington: New Zealand will ban the sale of cigarettes to future generations as the country aims to become smokefree by 2025, the government announced Thursday.  

In a bid to stub out smoking, New Zealand will slash the number of retailers selling cigarettes and prevent Kiwis born from 2011 onward from ever buying tobacco.

As part of its ambitious Smokefree 2025 plan, it will become an offence to sell or supply smoked tobacco products to anyone aged 14 or under.  

When the law comes into effect, people aged 14 and under will never be able to legally purchase tobacco.

Under the upcoming law, New Zealand people will only be able to buy tobacco products with very low-levels of nicotine and fewer shops will be able to sell tobacco products.

Nicotine content will also be weakened under plans announced in parliament today by associate health minister Ayesha Verrall. 

"Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand and causes one in four cancers," she said. 

"This is a historic day for the health of our people," Verrall added. 

We want to make sure young people never start smoking so we will make it an offense to sell or supply smoked tobacco products to new cohorts of youth," she added. 

New Zealand is taking a historic step towards our smokefree future.

We will implement bold measures, including banning the sale of cigarettes to future generations, as part of our #Smokefree2025 Action Plan. https://t.co/rx2tkrWJK9

— Ayesha Verrall (@drayeshaverrall) December 8, 2021

She said smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand and causes one in four cancers. Smoking related harm is particularly prevalent in Maori, Pacific and low income communities. 

The new law still has to go through the legislative process.