Future Timeline

New Zealand to ban cigarette sales for future generations

December 9, 2021

Dec 9 (Reuters) - New Zealand plans to ban young people from ever buying cigarettes in their lifetime in one of the world's toughest crackdowns on the tobacco industry, arguing that other efforts to extinguish smoking were taking too long.

[...]

The government will consult with a Maori health task force in the coming months before introducing legislation into parliament in June next year, with the aim of making it law by the end of 2022.

The restrictions would then be rolled out in stages from 2024, beginning with a sharp reduction in the number of authorised sellers, followed by reduced nicotine requirements in 2025 and the creation of the "smoke-free" generation from 2027.

https://www.reuters.com/business/health ... 021-12-09/

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Sort of a "nanny state" versus "let's protect the public health" kind of dilemma. Conservatives and libertarians might say "no, adults should watch out for their own health without constant care on the part of a 'nanny state' government." Liberals might say "yes, nicotine is addictive and not good for the public health and should therefore be restricted if not outright banned."

I am kind of an agnostic: both sides make good arguments, and I am tired of butting heads with defenders of the nicotine-based industry.