Health Officials Put Minister On Notice As New Zealand Set To Scrap Tobacco Ban
Date
2/27/2024 3:10:41 PM
(MENAFN- AzerNews) New Zealand's Health Minister Casey Costello was put on notice
by health officials as the new coalition government was set to
scrap the world's first tobacco ban, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency.
The officials urged Costello to“retain key aspects of the
smoke-free law,” radio New Zealand reported on Tuesday.
Last November, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed the
coalition government's 49-point agenda for the first 100 days,
which included lifting a ban on selling cigarettes to children
under the age of 14, as well as imposing a prohibition of cell
phones in schools.
It was in December 2022 that New Zealand's parliament passed
legislation banning the sale of tobacco to anyone aged 14 or below,
a significant step towards the country's goal of becoming
smoke-free by 2025.
The law prohibits the sale of any tobacco product to anyone born
after Jan. 1, 2009. The law took effect in January last year and
would slash tobacco retailers from 6,000 to 600, and remove 95% of
the nicotine from cigarettes.
But major aspects of the new law are not in force yet.
Costello's ministry is set to go ahead and end the ban but has
received other suggestions from health officials, including
introducing a purchase age of 25.
The minister rejected all such proposals.
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