Periodically, countries around the world may take strides to reduce the consumption of tobacco in their population.
Recently, New Zealand announced that they will ban those born in 2009 onwards from buying tobacco for life.
Source: Andy von der Wurm on Flickr
Those guilty of flouting these rules may be subjected to a fine of up to S$130,000 (NZ$150,000).
Additionally, in an attempt to remove the presence of tobacco in New Zealand, the parliament has also implemented legislation that will cut the number of retailers able to sell tobacco by 90%.
According to The Straits Times (ST), the New Zealand Parliament passed a whole slew of new anti-smoking laws on Tuesday (13 Dec).
These new laws include a ban on the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after 1 Jan 2009.
Those guilty of selling to those in this age range may be punished with fines of up to S$130,000 (NZ$150,000).
The ban will remain in place for the target age group’s entire lifetime, essentially preventing them from ever buying tobacco.
To accelerate their progress toward a smoke-free future, the New Zealand parliament has also introduced legislation that will cut the number of retailers able to sell tobacco by 90%.
At the point of writing, there are 6,000 retailers licensed to sell tobacco. The figure will come down to just 600 by the end of 2023, reports Reuters.
Outlawing tobacco use will also help the New Zealand health system save up to S$4.3 billion (NZ$5 billion) from not having to treat illnesses caused by smoking, says Health Minister Ayesha Verrall.
Even with stricter laws, New Zealand is well on their way to its goal, as almost 56,000 adults quit the habit last year.
Just 8% of the adult population are smokers, according to ST.
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Featured image adapted from KiwiMunted on Flickr.
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