New Zealand will gradually introduce a near-total smoking ban from next year.
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The new law approved this Tuesday by the New Zealand Parliament means that anyone born after 2008 will never be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in the country.
As the minimum age to buy cigarettes increases, the number of people who will be able to do so will decrease each year.
By 2050, for example, people in their 40s will be too young to buy cigarettes.
Health Minister Ayesha Verrall, who introduced the bill, said it was a step “towards a smoke-free future”.
“Thousands of people will live longer, healthier lives and the health system will save NZ$5 billion (US$3.2 billion) by not having to treat diseases caused by smoking,” Verrall said.
New Zealand’s smoking rate is already at record lows.
Only 8% of adults smoke daily, according to government statistics published in November, a reduction of 9.4% from last year.
The new legislation, called the Smoke-Free Environments Bill, is expected to reduce the percentage of adult smokers to less than 5% by 2025. The long-term goal is to eliminate the practice altogether.
Less shops
The bill also limits the number of businesses that can sell tobacco products, which will be reduced from 6,000 currently to 600 nationwide.
The nicotine levels in tobacco products will also be lowered to make them less addictive.
“This means that nicotine will be reduced to non-addictive levels and communities will be free from the proliferation of retailers that target the sale of tobacco products in specific areas,” Verrall added.
The minister added that the legislation could close the gap in life expectancy between Maori and non-Maori citizens.
The overall smoking rate among Maori citizens is currently 19.9%, down from 22.3% last year.
The new legislation does not ban e-cigarettes, which are much more popular with the younger generation than cigarettes.
Critics of the bill, including the ACT (Consumers and Taxpayers Association) party, which has 10 seats in parliament, warned that the new measures could fuel a black market for tobacco products and crack down on small shops. .
“Nobody wants to see people smoke, but the reality is that some will and the ban introduced by the (incumbent) Labor Party, typical of a paternalistic state, is going to cause problems,” said ACT deputy leader, Brooke vanVelden.
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BBC-NEWS-SRC: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-63972619, IMPORTING DATE: 2022-12-14 12:20:07
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