The use of
tobacco
Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
for
smoking
Smoking is a practice in which a substance is burned and the resulting smoke is typically breathed in to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, which have bee ...
in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
has been subjected to government regulation for a number of decades. On 10 December 2004, New Zealand became the third country in the world to make all indoor workplaces including bars and restaurants smoke-free. The smoking rate in New Zealand was about 8% as of 2023 when the new government planned to eliminate the nation's smoking ban to fund tax cuts.
Consumption
The number of
cigarette
A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing a combustible material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhaled via the opp ...
s available for consumption, a statistical measure that reflects sales, has generally been decreasing since they peaked at 6.3 billion in 1977 but consumption has remained constant from 2005 through to 2008 at 2.4 billion cigarettes. Over the last 30 years the number of cigarettes that have been available has dropped by 61.5%. The volume of tobacco available for consumption rose to a new high of 904 tonnes and was 83.3 percent higher than the lowest amount recorded in 1985.
Legislation
The first building in the world to have a smoke-free policy was the
Old Government Building in
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
in 1876. This policy was enacted over concerns about the threat of fire, as it was the second largest wooden building in the world.
The earliest attempt at tobacco control was in 1907, when the government moved to ban tobacco sales to persons under the age of 16, as it was feared that tobacco would "stunt" a minor's growth. However, this law was not enforced until 1988. In 1997, the age restriction was increased to 18 years. Although it is now illegal to sell tobacco products to a minor, a minor may still publicly consume, possess and distribute tobacco to friends without penalty (as opposed to alcohol).
The
Smoke-free Environments Act 1990
The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 (originally the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990) is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand. The Act placed smoking restrictions on indoor spaces, banned smoking on public transport and es ...
was passed to prevent the effects of
passive smoking
Passive smoking is the inhalation of tobacco smoke, called secondhand smoke (SHS), or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), by persons other than the intended "active" smoker. It occurs when tobacco smoke enters an environment, causing its inhalat ...
on other people by restricting cigarette smoking in places such as workplaces and schools.
New Zealand passed an
amendment to the Smoke-free Environments Act on 3 December 2003 (effective in 2004) which covers all indoor public workplaces and hospitality venues (pubs, bars, nightclubs, charter club bars, restaurants and casinos). Studies have shown very high levels of compliance with the law. Also, the air quality at indoor hospitality venues is very good compared to similar settings in other countries where smoking is still permitted.
Outdoor smoke-free laws cover the grounds of all schools, some council-owned parks (e.g., in South Taranaki and Upper Hutt), the grounds of some hospitals, stadiums and most university campuses. However, these laws are not strictly enforced apart from a polite request from security guards and property owners. The government has not moved to restrict smoking in cars, but has run mass media campaigns that promote smoke-free cars and homes.
Smoking on domestic flights was banned in 1988 and on all international flights as of 1996.
Cigarette advertising was banned on TV and radio in 1963, on cinemas and billboards in 1971, and in print media in 1990. Tobacco sponsorship was phased out in 1995 and tobacco signage banned from outside shops the same year. Tobacco displays themselves were banned in 2012.
![National Tobacco Company Ltd building in Napier, New Zealand](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/National_Tobacco_Company_Ltd_building_in_Napier%2C_New_Zealand.jpg)
The sale of single cigarettes was banned in early 1998, and cigarettes are required to be sold in packs of no fewer than 20. The New Zealand government's ''National Drug Policy 2007–2012'' seeks to reduce the effects of tobacco use by limiting availability, limiting the use of tobacco, and reducing harm from existing tobacco use.
On 9 December 2021, Associate Health Minister
Ayesha Verrall confirmed that the
Sixth Labour Government
The Sixth Labour Government has governed New Zealand since 26 October 2017. It is headed by Jacinda Ardern, the Labour Party leader and prime minister.
Following the 2017 general election held on 23 September, the New Zealand First party h ...
would introduce legislation to significantly reduce the availability of tobacco products in the country, by prohibiting their sale to anyone born after 2008 (described as creating a "smokefree generation"), and restricting them to specialty stores only. There would also be a restriction on nicotine content. The announcement was praised by the Green Party and several health leaders including
New Zealand Medical Association
The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) is an association representing some doctors and medical students in New Zealand. It was officially founded after a meeting in April 1886 at Dunedin Hospital. From 1896 to 1967, the NZMA was considered as ...
chair Alistair Humphrey, Health Coalition Aotearoa smokefree expert advisory group chair Sally Liggins, and University of Auckland Associate Dean of Pacific
Collin Tukuitonga
Sir Collin Fonotau Tukuitonga (born ) is a Niuean-born New Zealand doctor, public health academic, public policy expert and advocate for reducing health inequalities of Māori and Pasifika people. He has held several positions in public health ...
for addressing the health effects of smoking particularly within the Māori and Pasifika communities. By contrast, ACT health spokesperson
Karen Chhour
Karen Louise Chhour (born ) is a New Zealand politician. She has been a member of parliament for ACT New Zealand since the 2020 general election.
Early life and career
Chhour is of Māori descent and belongs to the Ngāpuhi iwi. She was born i ...
criticised the proposed legislation, stating that prohibition was unworkable and claiming that it would create a black market for tobacco products.
The
was passed on 13 December 2022, banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 1 January 2009 and reducing the number of retailers allowed to sell tobacco products On 27 November 2023, the incoming
National-led coalition government announced it would repeal the Smokefree Environments Amendment Act to fund its promised tax cuts.
Lobbying
On 5 September 2007,
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) called for the removal of tobacco from sale by 2017. Tobacco displays in shops were banned in 2012.
Winston Peters, himself a smoker, has long been lobbying for the rights of smokers. In the
2016 New Zealand budget
The New Zealand budget for fiscal year 2016/17 was presented to the New Zealand House of Representatives by Finance Minister Bill English on 26 May 2016. It was the eighth budget English has presented as Minister of Finance, and the eighth budget ...
,
ACT New Zealand also came out lobbying on behalf of smokers, arguing that although tax on tobacco had doubled in the last five years, smoking rates had only dropped by 1.3 percent.
Littering
![Litter Audit NZ 2019 - top 12 by category](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Litter_Audit_NZ_2019_-_top_12_by_category.svg)
The littering of cigarette butts is recognised as a pervasive issue in New Zealand. In the National Litter Audit conducted in 2019, cigarette butts were the most commonly found items.
A study conducted in urban Wellington in 2011 found that smokers littering cigarette butts was the norm, even when rubbish bins were nearby. Littering of cigarette butts was more common in the evening, where 85.8% of smokers were observed littering, compared with the afternoon, when 68.1% were observed littering. In addition, 73.5% of smokers did not extinguish their butts.
See also
*
Cannabis in New Zealand
The use of cannabis in New Zealand is regulated by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, which makes unauthorised possession of any amount of cannabis a crime. Cannabis is the fourth-most widely used recreational drug in New Zealand, after caffeine, ...
*
Anti-smoking movement
Tobacco control is a field of international public health science, policy and practice dedicated to addressing tobacco use and thereby reducing the morbidity and mortality it causes. Since most cigarettes and cigars and hookahs contain/use to ...
*
Health effects of tobacco smoking
Tobacco use has predominantly negative effects on human health and concern about health effects of tobacco has a long history. Research has focused primarily on cigarette smoking.
Tobacco smoke contains more than 70 chemicals that cause ca ...
*
Smoke-free Environments Act 1990
The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 (originally the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990) is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand. The Act placed smoking restrictions on indoor spaces, banned smoking on public transport and es ...
*
Tobacco company
The tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies who are engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any ...
*
Tobacco industry
The tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies who are engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any ...
*
Litter in New Zealand
Litter is a global issue and has a significant human impact on the environment. Litter is especially hazardous because it can enter ecosystems and harm a country's biodiversity. Litter is a prevalent environmental issue in New Zealand.
New Zeal ...
References
Further reading
*
External links
Ministry of Health– Tobacco Control and Smoking page
National Drug Policy New ZealandMinistry of Health– links to lobby groups and stop smoking groups
Quitline NZ
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smoking In New Zealand
Society of New Zealand