New Zealand Government Scraps 'Generational Smoking Ban'; Medical Experts Urge Review

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia has called on the New Zealand government to reconsider its cigarette sales ban.

According to a report by scoop.co.nz, as the New Zealand government plans to repeal a law banning cigarette sales nationwide, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) is urging it to rethink the decision.

Dr. Elizabeth Roberts, Deputy Chair of the RCPA in New Zealand, said the move represents a setback for public health.

She said smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in New Zealand, and the previous government’s legislation offered an opportunity to prevent disease, reduce illness, and save lives, particularly benefiting Māori communities facing health inequities. New Zealand had been set to become the first country in the world to implement a “generational smoking ban,” and the government’s reversal is difficult to understand.

Reportedly, the original measures included banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, limiting nicotine content in tobacco products, and cutting the number of tobacco retailers by more than 90%.

 Dr. Roberts said with regret, “We had thought the 2025 smoke-free goal was within reach, but now it feels far away again. We urge the government to reconsider its decision to repeal the ban.”