The repeal of Aotearoa's world-leading smokefree legislation means thousands of New Zealanders will continue to die needlessly from smoking-related diseases, researchers at the University of Otago, Wellington, warn.
The Government today introduced legislation to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act. The legislation was hailed around the world when it was passed by Parliament in December 2022, for its creation of a smokefree generation. The legislation ended the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008, preventing tobacco companies from recruiting young people as the next generation of smokers and mandated the removal of nicotine from smoked tobacco, minimising the potential for addiction.
Researchers from the University's ASPIRE Aotearoa Research Centre branded the repeal as "shameful", saying it lacked evidence, logic and popular support.
