New Zealand smoking ban scrapped

The New Zealand has scrapped its smoking ban, its ground-breaking law that aimed to create a smoke-free generation. The decision, made by the country’s new National party-led government, has drawn widespread criticism from health experts and advocacy groups.

The law inspired a similar policy in the UK, and is designed to stop young people from smoking. It would have banned cigarette sales next year to anyone born after 2008 in New Zealand.

The decision has raised concerns about the future of tobacco control efforts around the world, including in the UK, who have used the New Zealand policy to form their own smoke-free generation policy. Professor Richard Edwards, a public health expert at the country’s University of Otago, said he was “appalled and disgusted,” by the change in policy which he described as “world-leading” and “absolutely excellent health measures”.

The policy’s potential impact on the vape industry raises concerns about the UK governments vape and smoking policy, currently under review, and may be based on uncertain foundations.

The implications for the UK and global tobacco control efforts remain to be seen.

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