New Zealand is set to abolish the world’s first law banning tobacco sales

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New Zealand is set to abolish the world's first law banning tobacco sales

The new coalition government elected in October confirmed the repeal would take place on Tuesday.

Wellington:

New Zealand will repeal the world’s first law banning tobacco sales for future generations on Tuesday, the government said, while researchers and campaigners warned of the risk people could die as a result. .

Set to take effect in July, the strictest anti-tobacco rules in the world will ban sales to those born after January 1, 2009, cut nicotine content in smoked tobacco products and the number of tobacco retailers by more than 90%. Will reduce.

The new coalition government elected in October confirmed that the repeal would take place immediately on Tuesday, enabling it to scrap the law without seeking public comment, in line with previously announced plans.

Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said the Coalition Government is committed to reducing smoking, but is taking a different regulatory approach to discouraging the habit and reducing the harm it causes.

“I will soon be taking a package of measures to Cabinet to increase the tools available to help people quit smoking,” Costello said. He said regulations on vaping would also be tightened to deter young people.

The decision has been heavily criticized in New Zealand over its potential impact on health outcomes, with concerns that it may have a greater impact on the Māori and Pasifika populations, which tend to have higher smoking rates. Are groups.

Otago University researcher Janet Hoke said swiping flies in the face of strong research evidence is ignoring measures strongly supported by Māori leaders and perpetuating health inequalities.

“Large-scale clinical trials and modeling studies show that the law accelerated quit rates among smokers,” said Hoke, co-director of a group studying ways to reduce smoking. and making it much more difficult for young people to smoke.” ,

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)