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Thursday
Dec092021

New Zealand edges towards prohibition of tobacco

The New Zealand government is to press ahead with its plan to ban the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008.

The BBC has the story here (New Zealand to ban cigarettes for future generations) and naturally it's being reported worldwide with almost no opposing comments in the print and digital media.

In the UK and Ireland there has at least been some recognition that not everyone agrees with the idea.

This morning I was on TalkRadio with Julia Hartley-Brewer followed by GB News with Patrick Christys and Mercy Muroki.

In Ireland my colleague John Mallon has been booked to appear on Radio Kerry, Northern Sound, LMFM and Dublin FM104.

A further interview on Newstalk, Ireland's leading independent radio station, was cancelled because of a breaking news story concerning the vaccine centre at Croke Park.

You can read Forest's response here – Plans to ban sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008 "absurd" and "illiberal".

I was quoted at length in the Daily Express (online only). See here – Could UK BAN smoking? Fears Britain could stop cigarettes as shock rules come in.

Chris Snowdon, head of the Lifestyle Economics Unit at the Institute of Economic Affairs, has also commented on the IEA website here.

Given the significant illicit markets that exist already in the UK and Ireland it's unlikely the idea will be floated any time soon in either country, but you never know.

The long-term goal of the tobacco control industry is the eradication of smoking amongst all age groups not just younger generations so this fits their playbook perfectly.

Also, we know from previous experience that once one country makes a move – Ireland becoming the first to introduce a comprehensive ban on smoking in indoor public places, Australia introducing plain packaging – even the more extreme ideas can spread (like a virus!) quite quickly.

The interesting thing is that once again the instigator is an English-speaking country. Why this should be is probably worthy of an entire book but I'll pass on that for the moment.

PS. Speaking to GB News I pointed out that, "As a result of this policy, if you’re 32 in New Zealand in 2040 you will be allowed to buy tobacco but if you’re 31 you will be committing a crime and could face serious penalties."

Elsewhere the Press Association noted that:

Under legislation announced by the NZ government, the minimum age to buy cigarettes would rise every year. In theory, 65 years after the law takes effect, shoppers could still buy cigarettes but only if they could prove they were at least 80 years old.

You couldn't make it up.

Update: John Mallon will now be on The Hard Shoulder, Newstalk's drivetime show, around 6.00pm.

Update: I’m also on LBC in the early hours of the morning talking to Darren Adam in an interview recorded at 11.20pm. Why do I always get the graveyard slot?!

Update: The MailOnline report – New Zealand wants to ban smoking for everyone in radical new move... but critics warn that any attempt to introduce similar rules in UK will be 'fiercely resisted' – includes a quote from me.

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