New Zealand wants to ban tobacco to the next generation and become effectively ‘smoke-free’ within the next four years. It is the so-called smoke-free action plan for 2025, which provides that by the end of next year those under the age of 14 will never be legally able to buy tobacco; moreover, the legal smoking age will be gradually raised, year after year.
The new law will also reduce the number of stores that can sell tobacco from 2024 and will only allow them to sell products that have very low nicotine levels from 2025. “We want to make sure young people never start smoking,” he said. Associate Health Minister Dr. Ayesha Verrall explained.
In New Zealand, smoking has progressively decreased, but it still constitutes a plague among the Maori and Pacifika minorities.