New Zealand bans smoking - 9th January 2023

New Zealand has introduced laws against the sale of cigarettes. The country hopes to become a smoke-free country by 2025. As a result, it has banned cigarette purchase to anyone born after January 2009.

Supporters of the law claim that this will result in lower rates of addiction and deaths from lung cancer. It'll also reduce government spending on treating smoke related illnesses. The country's associate health minister said, 'Thousands of people will live longer, healthier lives and the health system will be 5 billion New Zealand dollars better off.'

The laws come with other rules as well. There are new restrictions on the amount of nicotine in tobacco products and where they can be purchased. Supermarkets and corner shops aren't permitted to sell cigarettes anymore. Cigarettes will have to be purchased from only 600 specialist shops in the country.

The number of smokers in New Zealand is declining. Numbers have fallen from 9.4 percent in 2021 to 8 percent in 2022. However, among the indigenous Maori population, rates are higher, at 19.9 percent. By 2025, the government would like to bring the country's rate down to 5 percent.

Vaping products aren't affected by the new restrictions. Many young people are vaping instead of smoking which resulted in a 2.1 percent increase last year.

Those who oppose the cigarette ban are concerned it will lead to crime. Sunny Kaushal stated, 'there’s going to be a crime wave. Gangs and criminals will fill the gap.'