Tweaks to tobacco laws will see stricter rules at the border from next week and it is hoped that will help snuff out cigarette smuggling and tobacco tax evasion. However, ACT leader David Seymour maintained the new permit system was "bureaucratic activity" which failed to acknowledge why the tobacco black market existed - the cost of cigarettes. "What we have here is a failure to admit the tobacco tax policy has failed. Mark O'Toole said travellers bringing tobacco across the border in their luggage would not need a permit, nor would people importing cigars, cigarillos, water-pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, snuff and snus. Receiving tobacco leaf and refuse through international mail would be banned, for anyone without a manufacturing licence.

Source: Stuff June 27, 2020 22:30 UTC