New Zealand’s Plan to Ban Smoking

Oleg Dubyna

New Zealand government officials plan to ban cigarette sales for the next generation.

Gianna Iadevaia, Reporter
December 17, 2021

If cigarette smoking continues at the current rate among youth worldwide, 5.6 million of today’s citizens younger than 18 will die early from a smoking-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Under new legislation, New Zealand plans to put a stop to this cycle. As part of New Zealand’s plan, anyone under the age of 15 will be barred from cigarettes permanently, starting in 2023.

According to government figures around 11.6% of New Zealanders over 15 smoke, which rose to 29% including the statistic of the indigenous Maori adults, a Polynesian group who settled in mainland New Zealand.

Killing about 5,000 people a year in New Zealand, smoking still reigns as one of the most preventable deaths. About four in five smokers start before age 18 according to information from the country’s government.

“Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand and causes one in four cancers,” Associate Health Minister Dr. Ayesha Verrall said in a conference on Thursday, December 9th. “Smoking related harm is particularly prevalent in our Māori, Pacific and low-income communities.”
New Zealand has been attempting to further their anti-smoking plan since 2011. The price of cigarettes steadily rose to the highest in the world. A pack costed a little over $20. These efforts only slowed the population’s usage of smoking by 10%, proving to not be very effective. Factors such as the black market and illegal tobacco selling were taken account, as business owners warned of the usage of ulterior motives to receive outlawed cigarettes.
Marlboro maker Philip Morris previously stated that the company would halt production if a legislation proposed so and are reviewing the country’s new law put forth.
Critics say that the government’s plan would destroy many businesses, especially those coined with selling tobacco.