Under 14s in NZ to be banned from ever buying cigarettes in their lifetime

[Shouldiwearmyhairinaponytail]

metro.co.uk/2021/12/09/new-zealand-bans-people-14-and-under-from-ever-buying-cigarettes-15743607/

Thoughts?

I don’t smoke and think cigarettes are gross, but do like the very occasional cigar (think 1-2 a year). The minute you try and ban something it becomes more appealing. Really depressing how people’s lives are increasingly being dictated by others.

Good point from a PP. Drugs are illegal, yet people still take drugs. People will still smoke, just they’ll be unregulated (dangerous) and no tax money gained.

Wrong way imo. Everything should be legal but taxed to high heaven. Things should be taxed in proportion to the burden they place on the NHS.

@Shouldiwearmyhairinaponytail

So eventually nobody will be able to buy cigarettes regardless of their age.. or am I just misunderstanding

Yes it's a way of phasing in a complete ban.

Well I certainly remember from my own adolescence that nobody ever smoked before they were 16 or drank before they were 18. So I can't see any way this could fail.

Ardern is a fanatic who wants to impose her own values on the people of NZ regardless of what they want.

And yet a key member of the opposition party has agreed it's a good idea. Very rarely does that ever happen.

It’s inevitable. Pretty soon be a thing of the past.

The idea is that eventually they won't sell cigarettes at all. Of course some will get smuggled in, but I suspect very few people will smoke in the future.
And its not like prohibition. Drinking alcohol is fun from the first drink. I don't know anyone who liked smoking from the first cigarette.

I hate smoking but I think this is a bonkers idea. Are NZ police gonna be going around arresting teenagers for lighting up ciggies? Is that really the best use of police resources?!

@TrishM80

I hate smoking but I think this is a bonkers idea. Are NZ police gonna be going around arresting teenagers for lighting up ciggies? Is that really the best use of police resources?!

Well it is a better use of resources than aiding and abetting the Prime MInisters staff in breaking the law.

Totally ridiculous - no prohibition has ever worked.

It's not going to stop it, might make it a bit more harder but there will always be shops willing to turn a blind eye, realistically at, say 25, when you're grown everyone know you smoke etc it's quite easy to get a colleague to grab you a pack with theirs.

I think it will stop some under age even bothering to start but teenagers will be teenagers.

If they wanted to and cared enough they would stop making cigarettes. That will be the only way.

@Crankley

Totally ridiculous - no prohibition has ever worked.

So do you advocate removing the UK's strict firearms regulations then? Including the absolute ban on handguns?

I thought that had been quite the success.

[quote ClowningAround21]@Clymene

To be fair its also 1 in 3 in the UK and men can self ID as women here too.[/quote]
@ClowningAround21

We don’t have self-ID in the UK.

Scotland is trying to push it through, but it hasn’t happened yet.

Are you confusing self-ID with being able to identify as the opposite sex, perhaps?

Honestly? How will the tax revenue be made up? But other than that, I think it's great.

It's not disadvantaging any smoker. Those currently old enough to smoke will continue to be able to do so. Those not currently smokers (by virtue of age) will continue to be non smokers.
Age restrictions have been altered in the past for things (ages increased) so this is just increasing it annually.

What's not really been mentioned too is they are restricting where cigarettes can be purchased too (no corner shops or supermarkets - and reducing from the current 8000 outlets to only 500) which is also good as this should also reduce the likelihood of underage sales a bit.

Of course the black market will work for a bit but once the permitted age increases enough it will be very clear who is illegally smoking and they can be rightly targeted. It should become a pretty socially unacceptable habit quite quickly.

Given Oor Nicola loves things like this, I can assume Scotland will try and follow suit.

I need to quit anyway so it would be a good thing. And, it will really make her supporters turn on her so double bonus!

I think it's brilliant, and should have been done many years ago. Everywhere. Smoking stinks.

Lol I’m chuckling at the comments on the story.

‘Imagine the 60 year olds waiting outside the corner shop for someone old enough to buy them cigs comes along’.

@eenymeenymineymo

I'm a non-smoker now but did all the smoking on the school bus antics as a 14/15 yr old so know that a determined teenager etc will find a means to get the illegal substance.

But yes it feels a bit over-regulated, despite the good intentions of reducing smoking numbers overall.
Who, pray tell will be policing this - put it on the store owners & fine them when they get it wrong? Many small shops (think dairies, corner shops here) will struggle as tobacco can be the initial reason a customer comes in then buys a pie, a drink, whatever.
It's a long time (lifetime actually) for young Johnny or Marylou to never have free choice over something. Other countries with those types of rules get called undemocratic I expect.

Recent legislation too bans anyone smoking in a vehicle here in NZ - moving or stationary with children in it too.

This PM is not quite as popular here with many particularly with Covid & MIQ facilities & lockdowns around the country. People are angry & frustrated so I think her days of being PM are now being counted down.

Well, the good news is, there may be coming available on the market for Leading the Leaders forward an absolutely fabulous, wonderful, extraordinarily magnificent many words many many words blaffff bllaffghuu

Dear God appreciate an intelligent insightful leader when you have one

Prohibition? Yeah, that went so well in the US for alcohol.

We often hear people say that we should legalise cannabis because prohibition is ineffective. I wonder if they are the same posters as those cheering on this thread.

I think it’s a bit much tbh. Smoking has been steadily declining and I don’t see any young people taking it up really. When I was at school you could buy 10 fags on the way in for a pound but it’s so expensive and generally unpopular I can’t see it ever picking up again. The indoor smoking ban was what changed attitudes.

Smoking is pretty horrific for your health of course but this is too controlling for my liking. I just think as a lifestyle choice it’s running its course by itself and tastes have moved on, so vilifying the odd person who doesn’t give up seems unnecessary. It also will impact Māoris much more given smoking is higher in their culture.

I can't stand the filthy habit but this clip is quite illuminating:

I dunno really- I didn’t smoke til I was 28. Now I’m addicted. Wish they weren’t available to buy. Honest answer

Hmmmm. I absolutely hate smoking but I do also wonder what will be next. NZ seem to be very controlling and not big on personal choice.