The submission period for the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Bill in New Zealand has come to a close, and the parliamentary health select committee is now reviewing public feedback. The Aotearoa Vapers Community Advocacy (AVCA) has stated that one aspect that the New Zealand Royal Legal Office needs to carefully examine is the government's proposed ban on intergenerational tobacco use.
The bill restricts the number of retailers permitted to sell tobacco products with the aim of reducing their appeal and addictive nature, and prohibits the sale of tobacco products to anyone born in or after 2009.
The AVCA has agreed in principle with the concept of a ‘smoke-free generation’. However, they are still concerned that this may be excessive. It should not be forgotten that New Zealand's current youth smoking rates are already well below the overall target for a smoke-free New Zealand by 2025, which is fewer than 5% of the population being regular smokers," said Nancy Loucas, co-founder of the AVCA.
She stated that members of the specialized committee need to test whether the intergenerational tobacco ban would promote the already existing black market, let alone inadvertently make smoking more appealing to young people who inherently crave rebellion.
Every adult has the right to make informed choices. Before implementing it, the government needs to ensure that this will be legally established. I am concerned that if a product is banned for a group of people once they reach adulthood, while other adult products like alcohol remain available to them," said Ms. Lucas.
Advocates of electronic cigarettes believe that there is not enough longitudinal research to fully prove that VLNC e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking. Additionally, this could potentially lead to New Zealanders entering the black market or growing their own tobacco.
Internationally, New Zealand has been praised for successfully implementing public health methods to reduce the harms of tobacco. The country's smoking rates have decreased by half in the past decade, mainly due to smokers switching to electronic cigarettes, which significantly reduce harm.
The government's increasing crackdown on tobacco is good news, but it needs to ensure that bans like intergenerational prohibition and VLNC are legally maintained while being monitored globally. New Zealand is leading the way in advocating for electronic cigarettes as an effective tool for quitting smoking," she said.
According to AVCA, members of the Malaysian parliamentary committee will visit New Zealand in September to gain a deeper understanding of the country's Smokefree 2025 ambition and the policies implemented towards achieving this goal.
Malaysia has proposed a ban on tobacco use for anyone born after 2007. However, the Malaysian Health Minister mistakenly wants to include electronic cigarette products. New Zealand understands that providing viable alternative solutions is necessary if an entire generation is to quit smoking. "We hope Malaysian parliamentarians will understand this and make the appropriate amendments during their visit," she said.
The AVCA has stated that New Zealand should have implemented tough measures against tobacco long ago. Despite regulating e-cigarettes in 2020 to limit their variety to three flavors in general retail, thousands of retail stores in New Zealand still offer every tobacco brand for smokers.
New Zealand is set to achieve its smoke-free goal by 2025, thanks to increasingly strict regulations on smoking and the provision of safer nicotine products for adults. According to Nancy Loucas, the government has done relatively well in supporting e-cigarettes.
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