Health organisations have slammed the National-led Government's plan to repeal New Zealand's tougher smokefree laws.
The changes would limit smoking sales to around 600 outlets around NZ, raise the age of purchase over time to effectively cut off the supply of cigarettes to new generations, and lower nicotine levels.
The changes were passed under last year's Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has said the move is in order to fund tax cuts. National has said it remains committed to reducing smoking rates.
Asked this morning on RNZ's First Up if she was "happy to endorse" the current death toll from smoking, Willis said "absolutely not".
"Our policy is to maintain all of the existing restrictions on smoking in New Zealand - the age limits, the health warnings, the smoking cessation programs, all of the things that New Zealand has been doing over the past few years to limit people's access to smoking, to make sure people know, don't start smoking it's really bad for you to help people quit smoking.
"Our government is going to continue that, we continue to want fewer people to be smoking."
She said restricted sales could lead to a black market, and the government wouldn't remove programmes that were working.
Smoking law changes 'condemned' by Asthma Foundation
The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ said it "condemns" the Government's plan to repeal tougher smokefree laws.
The foundation's medical director Dr James Fingleton said he is "extremely worried" about the direction the new coalition is taking when it comes to lung health.
"If they were to proceed with the repeals, it would be a massive step back in respiratory health for Aotearoa.
"This move not only undermines the progress we, as a country, were making in safeguarding the respiratory health of our New Zealanders, but also places a heavier burden on our healthcare system."
The foundation said a group of clinical leaders is urging the Government to "seriously re-consider" the changes to smoking and vaping legislation.
Govt is 'ignoring health evidence' - Māori Public Health
The National Māori Public Health Organisation, Hāpai Te Hauora, said the Government is ignoring health evidence in its move to repeal the legislation.
Interim chief executive Jason Alexander said: "Aotearoa is held up internationally as an example of truly innovative public policy for its pioneering efforts in tobacco control, setting a precedent for evidence-based policies that protect public health.
"The proposed rollbacks, undermine this legacy and the hard-won progress in reducing smoking rates.
"We have 13 months until 2025, for the newly appointed government leading Aotearoa to see this goal out, and we cannot let our most vulnerable pay the price of tax cuts to satisfy and boost the pockets of our country's wealthiest," Alexander said.
ASH 'dismayed' by law changes
Action for Smokefree 2025, (ASH), have slammed the government and said it's shocked by the decision to repeal smokefree laws.
The organisation said Aotearoa has made "huge progress" reducing smoking in recent years, especially with people switching to vaping.
ASH director Ben Youdan said "we are shocked that one of the coalition's first health measures is to essentially grant a pardon to tobacco companies, and allow them to continue selling products that kill almost 5000 New Zealanders every year“.
"Repealing the ACT puts the interests of the cigarette industry before the health of the nation.
"This will prolong the harm and suffering that smoked tobacco is causing to New Zealanders, especially those in the most vulnerable cohorts,” he added.
"Māori and Pacific people suffer the majority of premature deaths and illness from smoking."
The organisation said it had taken more than a decade to achieve the legislation, "building on years of work and backed by huge public support".
"Undoing this now will set back the fight to end smoking related death and disease by years."
Christopher Luxon says he wants the amendments to the legislation repealed before March 2024.
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