New Zealand To Scrap Smoking Ban On Future Generations To Fund Tax Cuts

New Zealand government will scrap the legislation that outlawed smoking for future generations in the country to fund tax cuts.

The government in New Zealand is going to do away with a law that banned the future generations from smoking to help pay for tax cuts. The move is being seen as “catastrophic” for Māori communities and public health officials believe it will cost thousands of lives, as per a Guardian report. 

The country had passed a legislation in 2022 that introduced a steadily increasing smoking age to stop those born after January 9 from ever being able to buy cigarettes legally. The law was aimed at preventing thousands of smoking-related deaths and saving the health system billions of dollars. 

The law contained other provisions as well to make smoking less affordable and accessible such as significantly reducing the legal amount of nicotine in tobacco products, allowing their sale only through special tobacco stores, and slashing the number of stores legally allowed to sell cigarettes from 6,000 to just 600 nationwide, the Guardian report added. 

The legislation was due to be implemented from July 2024 but the ruling National party, as a part of its coalition agreement with populist New Zealand First, agreed to scrap the amendments, including “removing requirements for de-nicotisation, removing the reduction in retail outlets and the generation ban”.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said that the reversal of the law would prevent a hidden tobacco market cropping up and stop shops from being targeted for crime.

“Concentrating the distribution of cigarettes in one store in one small town is going to be a massive magnet for crime,” Luxon told Radio New Zealand.

The public health experts have, however, expressed shock at the decision, saying it could cost up to 5,000 lives a year, and be particularly detrimental to Māori, who have higher smoking rates.

Rishi Sunak’s Position On Smoke Ban To Remain ‘Unchanged’ 

New Zealand government’s legislation to outlaw smoking in its county for future generations had inspired the Rishi Sunak government to come up with a similar law for the United Kingdom. "A 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette and... they and their generation can grow up smoke-free,” Sunak had said last month. 

When asked if the UK government is considering following Wellington’s lead,  a spokeswoman for the prime minister said: "No, our position remains unchanged,” reported Sky News. 

“We are committed to that,” she said, adding: “This is an important long-term decision and step to deliver a smoke-free generation which remains critically important."