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No smoking in New Zealand - 9th January 2023
New Zealand has a new rule about cigarettes. The rule's for people under 15 years old. People with birthdays after 1 January 2009 can never buy tobacco.
Some people like the new rule. It’s good for people’s health. The government of New Zealand's happy with the rule. Smoking won’t kill people in New Zealand. The health system will save 5 billion New Zealand dollars.
Now, supermarkets can’t sell cigarettes or tobacco. Only 600 shops in the country can sell them.
Now, only 8 percent of people in New Zealand smoke. The government wants New Zealand to be smoke-free. It wants under 5 percent to smoke by 2025.
The new rule isn’t for electronic cigarettes. Young people are using electronic cigarettes. Their use went up 2.1 percent in 2022.
Some shop owners don’t want the new rule. People will continue to smoke. There’ll be a black market in cigarettes. These cigarettes may be more dangerous.
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