We don’t need to go over the reasons why smoking shouldn’t be a thing anymore. While many of us still deal with the ramifications of an older world obsessed with cigarette etiquette, New Zealand is ensuring that the same won’t be said for younger generations.
The Kiwis have officially passed legislation that will ban tobacco buying for good — at least for anyone born after 2008.
Passed this week, the new laws are set to kick in in 2023, following an idea born in 2011 that focused on a public health concern around smoking. Per the New York Times, smoking has become increasingly less accessible for New Zealanders, with factors like price hikes stepping in to reduce the appeal of buying smokes.
Will the ban work?
Any South African smoker hearing the words ‘cigarette’ and ‘ban’ in the same sentence might immediately reel back into thoughts of lockdown.
It’s no secret that for SA, the black market for tobacco boomed during our ‘prohibition’ era, and has leaked into the current market too. In fact, earlier this year News24 reported that almost 70% of all cigarettes being consumed in our market are now from illicit brands.
While no one can know whether the same will be said for New Zealand, the decision still reflects a direct approach to mindfulness for younger generations, head-on.
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