Explained: Is New Zealand바카라�s U-turn On World바카라�s First 바카라�Generational바카라� Smoking Ban Justified? 

New Zealand바카라�s move to lift the world-first 바카라�generational smoking ban바카라� introduced by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is drawing criticism from health experts worldwide. The ban, which would have come into effect from July 2024, would have seen bans on selling tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2009. However, on Saturday, New Zealand바카라�s finance minister Nicola Willis said the country is set to axe the smoking ban law amid concerns that it would have significantly reduced tax revenues

The laws would have additionally decreased the permissible nicotine levels in smoked tobacco products and significantly reduced the number of tobacco retailers by over 90 per cent. The legislation was due to be implemented by July 2024 and would have included harsh penalties for violations, such as fines of up to NZ$150,000 ($96,000).

What was New Zealand바카라�s generational smoking ban?

In 2022, the Jacinda Ardern-led government passed legislation for a 바카라�generational smoking ban바카라�, which would have introduced a steadily rising minimum age for smoking. The then associate health minister Ayesha Verrall had applauded the move. She had said in a Twitter post, 바카라�As they age, they and future generations will never be able to legally purchase tobacco, because the truth is there is no safe age to start smoking.바카라�

The former Labour government believed the measure would save lives and billions of dollars spent on smoking-related illnesses by the country's healthcare system in the coming years. The law would also have restricted tobacco sales to specified stores, drastically reducing the number of authorised outlets from 6,000 to only 600, nationwide.

Why has it been scrapped?

New Zealand바카라�s new centre-right coalition government expressed concerns that the ban on tobacco products for anyone born after 2009 would lead to a 바카라�massive black market바카라�.

바카라�So absolutely, we still want to see lower numbers of people smoking, but we do not think that the outgoing government바카라�s policy is the best way to achieve that,바카라� Nicola Willis told Radio New Zealand last week.

On Saturday, Willis told NewsHub Nation that the coalition feared the smoking ban would reduce tax revenues. 바카라�...the effect of drastically reducing the number of shops that could sell tobacco products, denicotising those products and introducing a range of restrictions would significantly reduce revenue to the Crown.바카라�

What are the experts saying?

Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA) New Zealand바카라�s co-chair Boyd Swinburn took to Twitter to express his disappointment, 바카라�The new NZ Govt says it will pull world-leading tobacco control laws. They are effectively wanting smokers to continue smoking and more children to start so they can collect more excise tax. Appalling!바카라�

HCA pointed to academic research that found the laws could have saved some $1.3 billion in health system costs over 20 years, and reduced mortality rates.

The groundbreaking smoking legislation had garnered much praise from the rest of the world last year and countries like the UK and Australia had subsequently been considering adopting similar laws.

Principal research fellow at the University College London Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group Sarah Jackson said the decision could threaten plans in other nations, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

"There is a risk that New Zealand's U-turn could prompt policymakers in England to reconsider.바카라�

University of Otago tobacco control expert Richard Edwards told AFP a public health "tragedy" was unfolding in the country, which once envisioned becoming almost entirely smoke-free by 2025. "I was absolutely shocked and appalled. It is one of the worst days I can remember for public health. It is public health vandalism."