New Zealand considers phasing out legal sale of tobacco | The Independent
New Zealand is considering phasing out the legal sale of tobacco with a date-based ban on smoking products.
Lawmakers are mulling plans to gradually increase the legal age at which people can buy tobacco products as New Zealand aims to become smoke-free by 2025.
In a consultation document, the government said: A smoke-free generation policy would prohibit the sale, and the supply in a public place, of smoked tobacco products to new cohorts from a specified date.
For example, if legislation commenced on 1 January 2022, then people younger than 18 years at that time or those born after 1 January 2004 would never be able to lawfully be sold smoked tobacco products.
Associate health minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said a new approach to smoking was needed as she warned that business as usual … won’t get us there .