The Public Health Communication Center, a Wellington-based advocacy group called the arguments proffered by the government as “‘Zombie arguments’ that New Zealand’s smoke-free measures will boost illicit tobacco trade are false.”
New Zealand is all set to repeal the world-first law banning tobacco sales for future generations – those born after 2009. The law was brought in by the previous government of Jacinda Ardern.
The new coalition government elected led by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon confirmed the repeal will happen on Tuesday as a matter of urgency, enabling it to scrap the law without seeking public comment, in line with previously announced plans.
Even after the researchers and campaigners warned of the risk that people could die as a result, the new government is moving ahead with its decision. The Associate Health Minister of New Zealand Casey Costello has said that she will soon be taking a package of measures to the cabinet to increase the tools available to help people quit smoking.
Forbes.com quoted the Public Health Communication Center, a Wellington-based advocacy group calling the arguments proffered by the government as “‘Zombie arguments’ that New Zealand’s smoke-free measures will boost illicit tobacco trade are false…Good governments do not abandon popular and empirically supported smoke-free measures in response to threats that the illicit tobacco market might grow.”
The organisation’s website says, “Government spokespeople have failed to provide either evidence or logic to justify the repeal of world-leading smokefree legislation. Instead, they have claimed that reducing retailer numbers will greatly increase crime, particularly ram raids targeting tobacco products, a claim based on anecdote.”
The present coalition government argues that scrapping the law would bring in critical tax revenue from cigarette sales. It said that it would also prevent the creation of a black market. The government estimates that repealing the ban would preserve around NZ$1 billion in annual tax revenue.
In an attempt to put opponents in the dock, the government questioned studies that showed the law would save the country’s healthcare system NZ$1.4 billion and reduce the number of deaths caused directly and indirectly from cigarette smoking or other forms of tobacco consumption.
The tobacco-ban legislation, the world’s strictest ever law to prevent tobacco consumption was passed by the former labour government led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s Labor in December 2022.
