New Zealand just announced that it will ban the sale of tobacco to its next generation. This big step comes in a bid to eventually phase out the habit of smoking cigarettes.
Now onwards, anyone born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in their lifetime. This will come under a law that is likely to be enacted next year.
“We want to make sure young people never start smoking,” Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verall said.
This is a big move and part of a sweeping crackdown on smoking announced by New Zealand’s health ministry Thursday.
As per the doctors and other health experts, this is a welcoming step.
The world-leading reforms, which will reduce access to tobacco and restrict nicotine levels in cigarettes.
This measure will make it much less likely for young people to get addicted to nicotine.
However, the crackdown has so far got mixed reactions.
While the sceptics fear that the move may create a black market for tobacco.
Ban on Cigarette and tobacco
New Zealand aims to achieve a national goal of reducing its national smoking rate to 5 per cent by 2025.
New Zealand’s health ministry says smoking causes remains the leading cause of preventable death for its five million-strong population.
As part of this major crackdown policy, the government also introduced major tobacco controls. These include significantly restricting where cigarettes can be sold to remove them from supermarkets and corner stores.
The number of shops authorised to sell cigarettes will be majorly reduced to under 500 from about 8,000 now, as per officials.
Lately, vaping has become a new trend among youngsters. But research shows vaping is not harmless, it is hazardous, cancer-causing agents in e-cigarette liquids are found in it as well.
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