New Zealand bans the sale of tobacco to people born after 2008...for the rest of their lives

New Zealand announced a package of decisions in which it intends to combat the smoking habit, and according to what was announced by the Minister of Health, Dr. Aisha Feral;

Anyone born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products for their lifetime, under a law expected to take effect next year.

New Zealand law currently prohibits the sale of tobacco to those under the age of eighteen, and from 2027 this legal age will be raised by one year each year, according to Health Minister Aisha Feral.

The Minister of Health added: We want to ensure that people never start smoking, as with age, they and future generations will never be able to buy tobacco legally.

The government will also adopt a law aimed at limiting the number of places that sell tobacco and only allowing products with a low concentration of nicotine, in order to reduce the risk of addiction.

She noted that these measures will allow New Zealand to maintain its role as a world leader in tobacco control.

The Minister of Health indicated that the health bill is very high among members of Maori communities and in the Pacific, where the rate of tobacco smoking is nearly twice that of the rest of the population, which is 13.5 percent.

The government intends to reduce this percentage to 5% by 2025, and believes that this goal is achievable and would allow the health system to save costs of approximately NZ$5.5 billion ($3.74 billion).

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