The National-led Government's plan to repeal the country's tougher smokefree laws, hailed as world-leading, has made headlines around the world.
The changes would remove requirements for denicotisation, a reduction in retail outlets and the generation ban, while also amending vaping product requirements and taxing smoked products only.
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.
The BBC have labelled it a "shock reversal", saying health experts have strongly criticised the decision.
A growing number of public health advocates are urging a rethink of the repeal. (Source: 1News)
"The legislation, introduced under the previous Jacinda Ardern-led government, would have banned cigarette sales next year to anyone born after 2008.
"Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in New Zealand, and the policy had aimed to stop young generations from picking up the habit.
"Health experts have strongly criticised the sudden reversal," the story reads.
The Guardian have also reported the change, saying it's "a move that public health officials believe will cost thousands of lives and be "catastrophic" for Māori communities".
"The legislation, which is thought have inspired a plan in the UK to phase out smoking for future generations, contained a slew of other measures to make smoking less affordable and accessible," Eva Corlett wrote.
US-based media have also weighed in on the issue, with TIME Magazine reporting that critics have called the plan a win for the tobacco industry.
"The ban was designed to prevent smoking-related deaths, the leading cause of avoidable deaths in New Zealand. The ban was estimated to save up to 5000 lives annually, particularly among the nation’s Indigenous Māori community."
Sky News have reported that UK Prime Minister Rushi Sunak's position on smoking ban is 'unchanged' despite New Zealand scrapping the policy.
"A change of government in New Zealand has led to the radical anti-smoking measures being scrapped - meaning England could soon have the toughest tobacco laws in the world," the story said.
The Daily Mail Australia said New Zealand's "incoming conservative government" has "AXED" its "world-first" smoking ban.
The outlet also compared the policy to the UK's proposal, where Sunak wants to stop anyone born after 2009 from ever buying cigarettes.
Christopher Luxon says he wants the amendments to the legislation repealed before March 2024.
He has said should the changes not be scrapped, it could increase the black market for cigarettes.
"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," Willis told RNZ.
"Our government is going to continue that - we continue to want fewer people to be smoking."
SHARE ME