On Thursday, New Zealand announced a new law banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after the year 2008, that would be enforced starting next year.
According to BBC, New Zealand’s decision to implement the tobacco ban is in order to prevent the future generation from picking up smoking. With this law coming forth anyone born after 2008, will not be able to buy tobacco in their lifetime.
New Zealand officials plan on bringing the smoking population percentage to 5% by 2025. According to BBC, currently, 13% of adult Kiwis are smokers, with the Maori indigenous population having much higher smoking rates.
New Zealand will set stricter measures on where tobacco can be sold, aiming to reduce the number of authorised tobacco selling shops from the current 8000 to 500. New Zealand officials also discussed the undeniable possibility of black market involvement and are planning to find ways to combat tobacco from reaching the black market after the law is implemented next year.
The news has been met with mixed reactions, with the majority of non-smokers praising the new law. The responses from smokers have been surprising. The new law has been met with approval from a lot of smokers, with one Instagram commenter suggesting that” it’s the only thing that can free me from my 20-year long addiction.”
A large sum of smokers and non-smokers alike have suggested that this is a violation of rights and that it’s just another way they can be controlled by the government. One Instagram user commented, “ Amazing the amount of people applauding the government taking more and more control over people’s lives.”
Like the government, many social media users have expressed their fear that this will only lead to the illegal selling of tobacco on the black market. Users outside of New Zealand have expressed concern about this law spreading globally. Few users have suggested that this could lead to smokers compensating for tobacco with alcohol.
If history does repeat itself, are the roaring 20’s back with a new Prohibition Era?
Written by Mohammed Aljarba.
Subedited by Jessica Sanches Semedo.
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