New Zealand intends to completely phase out tobacco products by 2025. According to The Guardian, the country’s government has published a plan to combat smoking.
Thus, for a gradual restriction on the sale of cigarettes, measures are being considered to reduce the level of nicotine in tobacco products, a ban on the installation of filters, as well as a fixed price for products and a limitation on the number of specialized stores.
In addition, the government plans to ban the sale of tobacco products to citizens born after 2004.
Health organizations in New Zealand have supported such an initiative by the Cabinet. At the same time, there were those who criticized her, pointing to the bankruptcy of small stores and the expansion of the black market for tobacco.
“Tobacco is the most harmful consumer product in history, we must completely abandon it,” said Lucy Elwood, executive director of the Cancer Society.
Critics added that reducing nicotine in cigarettes will result in consumers buying more tobacco products, spending more money on it. Also New Zealanders called it an invasion of privacy.
The government noted that about 4.5 thousand New Zealanders die each year from smoking-related illnesses. So, the cause of every fourth death from cancer in the country is smoking, the Cabinet of Ministers concluded.