New Zealand bans sale of tobacco to those born after 2008: Provisions of new law

Preparing for UPSC? Use CRACKUPSC20 code here to get an extra 20% discount on Indian Express subscription.

While the Bill has been hailed by many as an innovative and bold step to curb tobacco usage, others have criticised its various untested provisions and its “nanny state” approach.

It comes into effect from 2023.

What is the Bill?

The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill bans the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008. Those found violating the provision will be fined up to NZ$150,000 (Rs 79 lakh approximately).

According to the New Zealand Parliament website, “This bill significantly limits the number of retailers able to sell smoked tobacco products; aims to prevent young people from taking up smoking by prohibiting the sale of smoked tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009; and aims to make smoked tobacco products less appealing and addictive.”

The Bill, thus, limits the number of shops able to sell smoked tobacco products in the country to 600 from the 6,000 at present, and reduces the amount of nicotine allowed in such products.

When the law was first introduced in July, New Zealand’s health minister Ayesha Verrall was quoted as saying by The Guardian, “For decades we have permitted tobacco companies to maintain their market share by making their deadly product more and more addictive. It is disgusting and it is bizarre. We have more regulations in this country on the safety of the sale of a sandwich than on a cigarette. We want to make sure young people never start smoking so we will make it an offence to sell or supply smoked tobacco products to new cohorts of youth.”

Criticism

Critics have pointed out that the strict curbs on the sale of tobacco products could drive the sale underground.

Reuters reported that political party ACT New Zealand, which holds 10 seats in Parliament, said the law would kill off small shops and force people onto the black market.

“No one wants to see people smoke, but the reality is, some will. And Labour’s nanny state prohibition is going to cause problems,” Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden was quoted by Reuters as saying.

In July, Opposition National MP Matt Doocey had raised another concern. “Most of the measures being considered have yet to be widely implemented internationally, and in some cases, New Zealand would be the first in the world to implement them,” Doocey was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “I don’t have a problem that New Zealand is going to be the first in the world,” he said, but the policy’s untested nature meant there was “significant uncertainty in the outcomes”.

Also, the law does not ban vaping, the use of which is rising in New Zealand.

Smoking in New Zealand

The rate of smoking in New Zealand is already very low, but there are disparities within communities.

According to a health survey published by the government in November this year, “8.0% of adults were daily smokers in 2021/22, down from 9.4% the previous year and 16.4% in 2011/12. Smoking rates have declined for all ethnic groups except Pacific people, but large inequities remain. For example, daily smoking rates were as follows: Māori (19.9%), Pacific (18.2%), and European/Other (7.2%). The most marked inequities in smoking are by socioeconomic status. After adjusting for demographic differences, adults living in the most deprived areas are 4.3 times as likely as adults in the least deprived areas to be daily smokers.”

After the Bill was passed Tuesday, Health minister Verall said it would help close the life expectancy gap between Maori and non-Maori citizens, BBC reported.