JAKARTA - New Zealand officially banned the sale of cigarettes to citizens born in 2009 and beyond, cutting the number of official cigarette retailers, in order to realize plans to become a cigarette-free country by 2025.
That was possible with the ratification of a new anti-smoking package passed by the New Zealand Parliament on December 13, becoming one of the strictest in the world.
A series of new laws including a ban on selling tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, can be fined up to 150,000 New Zealand dollars or around Rp1,482,617,709. Interestingly, this ban will remain in effect for life.
The legislation will also reduce the amount of nicotine allowed in smoke tobacco products and cut the number of retailers who can sell tobacco by up to 90 percent.
"This law accelerates progress towards a smoke-free future," Health Minister Associate Dr Ayesha Verrall said in a statement.
"Thousands of people will live longer, live healthier lives and the health system will be 5 billion dollars better, because there is no need to treat smoking-induced diseases, such as various types of cancer, heart attacks, strokes, amputation," he explained.
Lisencing retailers for selling tobacco will also be cut to 600 by the end of 2023 from 6,000.
Being one of the lowest adult smoking rates among 38 members of the New Zealand Economic and Development Cooperation Organization has tightened anti-smoking laws as part of the government's push to make the country "Free of Cigarettes" by 2025.
Only Bhutan, which banned the sale of cigarettes in 2010, has stricter anti-smoking laws.
New Zealand's adult population smoking fell by half over the past decade to 8 percent, with 56,000 quit last year. OECD data shows 25 percent of French adults smoking in 2021.
Verrall said the law would help close the gap in life expectations between Maori residents and non-Maori, which could range from 25 percent to women.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's ACT, which holds ten of the 120 seats in parliament, condemned the law, saying it would shut down small shops and force people into the black market.
"No one wants to see people smoke, but the reality is, some will. And the ban from the Labor Party will cause trouble," said Deputy Leader van Velden.
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