New Zealand’s youth will no longer be able to buy cigarettes. New Zealand passed a law on Tuesday to save the country’s future from cigarette addiction. Under this law, no person born on or after January 1, 2009, can ever buy or sell tobacco. The minimum age to purchase cigarettes under the law will also continue to increase year after year.
Know What The Law Says
After a lifetime ban on youth buying cigarettes, from now on 50 years any person will have to show his identity card to the shopkeeper before buying a packet of cigarettes he is at least 63 years old. The government aims to reduce the number of smokers in the country by five percent by 2025.
At the same time, health officials hope that smoking will reduce before this. After the implementation of this new law, now the number of retailers allowed to sell tobacco will be reduced from 6 thousand to 600. In addition, there will also be a reduction in the amount of nicotine allowed in smokeable tobacco.
Health Minister Gave The Argument In The Parliament
Health Minister Dr. Ayesha Veral told MPs in Parliament: ‘There is no good reason to allow a product to be sold that kills half the people who use it and I can tell you we will see it in the future Will end it because we are passing this law. He said the health system would save billions of dollars to treat diseases caused by smoking, such as cancer, heart attack, and stroke. This bill will bring a generational change and leave a legacy of better health for the youth. MPs voted heavily
Lawmakers voted along party lines to pass the legislation by 76 to 43. The bill was strongly opposed by the Libertarian Act Party which said that small shops in New Zealand would be heavily affected as they would not be able to sell cigarettes. ACT deputy leader Brooke van Velden said: ‘We oppose this bill because it is a bad bill and it has a bad policy. There won’t be a better result for the New Zealanders.
8% Of New Zealand Adults Smoke Daily
Statistics New Zealand reported last month that 8% of adults smoke daily, down from 16% ten years ago. Meanwhile, 8.3% of adults smoked e-cigarettes daily, compared to less than 1% six years ago. Smoking rates remain high among indigenous Māori. New Zealand has already banned the sale of cigarettes to those aged 18 and over. The legislation was welcomed by many health agencies.
