This is the first country in the world to ban smoking
The New Zealand government has announced that it will ban smoking in the country, to help reduce mortality as well as increase finances.
The legislation, introduced by the previous government led by Jacinda Ardern, planned to ban the sale of cigarettes next year to anyone born after 2008.According to authorities, smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand and the policy aims to stop younger generations from taking up the habit. Public health modeling had suggested that smoke-free laws would save up to 5,000 lives each year.
Meanwhile New Zealand’s smoke-free policy is believed to have inspired the UK government in September to announce a similar youth smoking ban.
However, the policy has been repeatedly criticized by business groups, newspaper and shop owners who voiced the loss of revenue from tobacco sales.
Conservative lawmakers had also argued that a ban on the product would lead to a black market for tobacco.
New Zealand still aims to reduce its national smoking rate to 5% by 2025, with the aim of eventually eliminating it altogether.
While according to national data, more than 80,000 adults quit smoking last year.
