Wellington [New Zealand], November 28
New Zealand’s newly-elected government has reversed a ground-breaking smoking ban initially aimed at saving lives and preventing youth from taking up smoking, CNN reported.
The move has sparked outrage among public health officials and anti-tobacco groups, who are dismayed by the decision to abandon the ban to finance tax cuts.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon, from the conservative National Party, now leading a coalition with the populist New Zealand First party and the libertarian ACT New Zealand party, justified the reversal, citing disagreement with certain aspects of the policy and expressing concerns about a potential surge in the black market for tobacco. Luxon emphasised that his administration is committed to reducing tobacco use, pointing to declining smoking rates in the country.
In conversation with CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand, Luxon said his government would continue education programmes and “encourage people to take up vapes as a cessation tool.”
The initial smoking ban in New Zealand received global acclaim from public health officials. Despite the recent policy reversal, the British government reaffirmed its commitment to phasing out smoking for new generations.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis disclosed that the measures would be revoked before March 2024, with revenue generated from cigarette sales redirected towards tax cuts. Smoking, a global cause of over eight million deaths annually, according to the World Health Organisation, remains a pervasive issue, with one in four people worldwide using tobacco.
