New Zealand smoking ban: Who can and can’t buy cigarettes

New Zealand has made headlines for its “world-leading” smoking ban, but it won’t mean the end of smoking just yet.

New Zealand has introduced a smoking ban that will stop future generations from ever being allowed to smoke.

New Zealand unveiled a bold plan this week to phase out smoking, including gradually increasing the numbers of people in the country who are not allowed to smoke.

Under the plan, future generations will never be able to buy cigarettes but older generations can continue – albeit it will be harder.

The proposed legislation makes it an offence to sell or supply smoked tobacco products to those aged 14 from a certain date. They will then be barred for life.

A bill will be put before parliament next year and will set out time frames for different legislative policies to be phased in, with the “smoke-free generation” flagged for 2027.

“As they age, they and future generations will never be able to legally purchase tobacco, because the truth is there is no safe age to start smoking,” Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall told parliament on Thursday.

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Anyone born after 2011 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in their lifetime under the new laws.

The news created worldwide headlines about New Zealand banning smoking, but people 15 years and older will still be able to smoke.

It means, if the law comes into effect in 2027, in 2050 people 38 and older would still be able to buy tobacco products and in 2080 people 68 years and older would be able to buy tobacco products. But anyone younger would not be able to.

“We are also reducing the appeal, addictiveness and availability of smoked tobacco products,” Dr Verrall said.

“New laws will mean only smoked tobacco products containing very low-levels of nicotine can be sold, with a significant reduction in the number of shops who can sell them.”

Limiting the number of stores that can sell cigarettes is flagged for 2024 and lowering levels of nicotine is flagged for 2025.

Smoking kills around 12 to 13 people every day in New Zealand.

The country’s goal is that by 2025 less than five per cent of New Zealanders will be smokers, which was first announced in 2011. Currently 11.6 per cent of adults smoke. That percentage is much higher among Māori and Pacific adults.

Dr Verall said the country needed a “dramatic shift in the environment to de-normalise smoking” and it required a multifaceted approach.

The New Zealand Health Ministry said smoking kills approximately 4500 to 5000 people every year in the country.

“That is around 12 to 13 deaths every day due to smoking or exposure to second-hand smoke,” population health and prevention group manager Jane Chambers said.

“Smoked tobacco products take too many lives, and the impacts disproportionately affect Māori and Pacific people.

“We must move swiftly and strategically to address these marked inequities and the disastrous impacts of smoked tobacco products so tamariki, rangatahi and our future generations are protected from harm.”

A Māori Advisory Taskforce will be established to action the plan.