WELLINGTON: New Zealand’s government announced on Tuesday its intention to repeal a groundbreaking law that would have banned tobacco sales for future generations, a move that has sparked intense debate and criticism from researchers and campaigners.
Scheduled to come into effect in July, the law was hailed as the toughest anti-tobacco measure globally. It aimed to prohibit tobacco sales to individuals born after January 1, 2009, while also reducing nicotine content in tobacco products and significantly reducing the number of tobacco retailers.
The decision to repeal the law was confirmed by the new coalition government, elected in October, citing a need for urgent action without seeking public feedback, in line with previous announcements.
New Zealand Govt Defends Stance
Associate Health Minister Casey Costello defended the government’s stance, emphasizing their commitment to reducing smoking while proposing an alternative regulatory approach to discourage the habit and mitigate its harmful effects. Costello announced plans to present a new package of measures to the cabinet aimed at aiding smoking cessation efforts, alongside tightening regulations on vaping to deter youth consumption.
However, the decision has faced severe backlash, particularly regarding its potential impact on public health outcomes in New Zealand. Critics have expressed concerns that the repeal could disproportionately affect Maori and Pasifika populations, who have higher smoking rates.
The move has drawn criticism for disregarding robust research evidence supporting the effectiveness of the ban in reducing smoking rates and preventing young people from taking up the habit. Janet Hoek, a researcher at Otago University, denounced the decision, highlighting the findings of large-scale clinical trials and modeling studies indicating the law would have significantly boosted smoking cessation rates and hindered youth initiation into smoking.
