New Zealand is to ban young people from buying cigarettes — ever. A new law set to be introduced will prevent anyone aged 14 by 2027 from purchasing smokes for the rest of their lives. "If nothing changes, it would be decades till Māori smoking rates fall below 5%, and this government is not prepared to leave people behind." "Cigarette smoking kills 14 New Zealanders every day and two out of three smokers will die as a result of smoking," New Zealand Medical Association chair Alistair Humphrey in a statement, per the outlet. But voices within the tobacco and small business industries opposed the move, insisting it will only increase illegal sales.

Source: Stuff December 09, 2021 20:01 UTC