New Zealand will gradually adopt an almost complete tobacco ban from next year.
The law passed by parliament on Tuesday, 13/12 means those born after 2008 can no longer buy cigarettes or tobacco products in the country.
In practice, the number of people who can buy tobacco in New Zealand will decrease each year. For example, in 2050, 40-year-olds will be too young to buy cigarettes.
Introducing the bill, Health Minister Ayesha Verrall said it was a step “toward a smoke-free future”.
“Thousands of people will live longer, healthier lives and the healthcare system will better save NZ$5 billion (R$17 billion) by not having to treat diseases caused by smoking,” Verrall said.
New Zealand’s smoking rate is historically low at just 8% of adults daily – down from 9.4% a year ago, according to government statistics released in November.
The Smoke-Free Law is expected to reduce that number to less than 5% by 2025, with the ultimate goal of eliminating the practice altogether.
The bill also aims to reduce the number of retailers that can sell tobacco products nationwide from currently 6,000 to 600, and reduce the nicotine levels in products to make them less addictive.
“This means that nicotine will be reduced to non-addictive levels and communities will be spared the proliferation and crowding of retailers targeting and selling tobacco products in certain regions,” Verrall said.
He added that the legislation could reduce the difference in life expectancy between Maori citizens and non-Maori citizens. The overall smoking rate for Maori citizens fell to 19.9% from 22.3% last year.
The new legislation does not ban so-called vape products such as e-cigarettes, which have become much more popular with the younger generation than tobacco cigarettes.
Critics of the bill, including the ACT party, which has 10 seats in parliament, warned that the policy could fuel a black market in tobacco products and wipe out small shops.
“Nobody wants to see people smoking, but the truth is some will, and this ban on the Labor ‘nanny state’ is going to cause problems,” said ACT deputy chair Brooke van Velden.
– This text was published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-63969775.
source: Noticias
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.