New Zealand and Mexico leading the way against discouraging/banning smoking

[JaDed]

New Zealand will phase in a near-total tobacco ban from next year.

Legislation passed by parliament on Tuesday means that anyone born after 2008 will never be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products.

It will mean the number of people able to buy tobacco will shrink each year. By 2050, for example, 40-year-olds will be too young to buy cigarettes.

Health Minister Ayesha Verrall, who introduced the bill, said it was a step "towards a smoke-free future".

"Thousands of people will live longer, healthier lives and the health system will be NZ$5 billion (US$3.2 billion) better off from not needing to treat the illnesses caused by smoking," Dr Verrall said.

New Zealand's smoking rate is already at historic lows, with just 8% of adults smoking daily according to government statistic released in November - down from 9.4% last year.

It is hoped that the Smokefree Environments Bill will reduce that number to less than 5% by 2025, with the eventual aim of eliminating the practice altogether.

The bill is also designed to limit the number of retailers able to sell smoked tobacco products to 600 nationwide - down from 6,000 currently - and reduce nicotine levels in products to make them less addictive.

Ardern apologises for MP insult caught on mic
"It means nicotine will be reduced to non-addictive levels and communities will be free from the proliferation and clustering of retailers who target and sell tobacco products in certain areas," Dr Verrall said.

She added that the legislation could close the life expectancy between Maori and non-Maori citizens. The overall smoking rate for Maori citizens is at 19.9% - down from last year's figure of 22.3%.

The new legislation does not ban vape products, which have become far more popular among younger generations than cigarettes.

Critics of the bill - including the ACT party which holds 10 seats in parliament - have warned that the policy could fuel a black market in tobacco products and kill off small shops.

"No one wants to see people smoke, but the reality is, some will and Labour's nanny state prohibition is going to cause problems," said ACT Deputy Leader Brooke van Velden.



https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63954862

 

[sweep_shot]

Good. I don't mind this.

Cigarette roasts the lungs. Ban it.

 

[ex-q-zit]

Drugs have been banned by all but still peopel find a way to have them. Same will be teh case with cigerretes. Nevetheless a good policy. Most importantly children need to be taught at hoem and schools about not smoking as it may altleast deterr a few of them from turning smokers in future.

 

[gazza619]

Wow, just wow

Next to ban is alcohol

 

[James]

I am a bit surprised to see this move, but given the proven health risks it’s an inevitable step if we are being honest. In another 100 years the world may well be smoking free.

 

[ElRaja]

i dont smoke cigs but have the occasion hookah session socially, and one or two cigars a year, banning stuff is silly, especially when ppl are free to drink alcohol which has far greater social harm than tobacco. we should move towards greater legalisation and regulation, rather than the opposite.

we live in a joyless consumerist society that leeches on people to work until they are too old to enjoy their lives, rich people will always be able to enjoy everything, poor people will have to pay by giving up the few simple pleasures they have in life.

id rather you educate people as to the dangers, then tax the industries to subsidies any healthcare costs associated with the industry.

 

[The_KING]

Good move by New Zealand. The rest of the world should follow suit. I hate cigarettes and being around smokers.

 

[JaDed]

i dont smoke cigs but have the occasion hookah session socially, and one or two cigars a year, banning stuff is silly, especially when ppl are free to drink alcohol which has far greater social harm than tobacco. we should move towards greater legalisation and regulation, rather than the opposite.

we live in a joyless consumerist society that leeches on people to work until they are too old to enjoy their lives, rich people will always be able to enjoy everything, poor people will have to pay by giving up the few simple pleasures they have in life.

id rather you educate people as to the dangers, then tax the industries to subsidies any healthcare costs associated with the industry.

Smoking is enjoyment? Do rich people become rich as a gift from universe? Don’t they work smart and hard for it?

Real cancer is socialism and privilege.

 

[ElRaja]

Smoking is enjoyment? Do rich people become rich as a gift from universe? Don’t they work smart and hard for it?

Real cancer is socialism and privilege.

congratulations on missing the point of my post. honestly if u dont understand what ur reading dont reply.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

i dont smoke cigs but have the occasion hookah session socially, and one or two cigars a year, banning stuff is silly, especially when ppl are free to drink alcohol which has far greater social harm than tobacco. we should move towards greater legalisation and regulation, rather than the opposite.

we live in a joyless consumerist society that leeches on people to work until they are too old to enjoy their lives, rich people will always be able to enjoy everything, poor people will have to pay by giving up the few simple pleasures they have in life.

id rather you educate people as to the dangers, then tax the industries to subsidies any healthcare costs associated with the industry.

Alcohol has restrictions too I think on the % content of alcohol and how it can be sold.

There are more efficient and safer nicotine delivery systems now that there is no real upside to smoking cigs.

It makes sense to ban them in the same way we have banned lead from petrol and asbestos from construction material.

 

[saeedhk]

HK is going to ban cigarettes soon!

 

[ElRaja]

Alcohol has restrictions too I think on the % content of alcohol and how it can be sold.

There are more efficient and safer nicotine delivery systems now that there is no real upside to smoking cigs.

It makes sense to ban them in the same way we have banned lead from petrol and asbestos from construction material.

lead from petrol and asbestos from construction was killing or harming people who had no choice in the matter, if someone is smoking privately what harm is it doing to anyone else? the UK has a very effective public smoking ban, I'm rarely if ever subjected to second-hand smoke.

people should have the right to do consume what they wish to, for themselves, otherwise why stop at cigarettes, alcohol, bad diet, sedentary lifestyles, hell, even prenatal stress can cause long-term mental effects on babies, would you be in favour of legislating to ban behaviours or actions which are the causes of these? especially given at least two affect other people and society in general.

 

[Technics 1210]

Cigarettes and Alcohol generate huge tax revenues for HMRC. I don't see either disappearing.

As for this move by Kiwis, at least people should have the freedom to smoke in their houses, but we all know real freedom is a myth.

 

[SalimBhai]

Hope this does not lead to prohibition like results.

 

[daytrader]

Kind of silly that in the future a 40 year old will not be able to purchase cigarettes. They also didn't ban vapes, which are a gateway to cigarettes. Law doesn't make sense as sooner or later they will have to legalize cannabis which is primarily smoked

 

[Major]

great bill to pass. I wish to see cigs gett banned in Paksitan but doubt it would ever happen.

Hate cigarette smokers and alcahol consumers

 

[MenInG]

great bill to pass. I wish to see cigs gett banned in Paksitan but doubt it would ever happen.

Hate cigarette smokers and alcahol consumers

They will declare war on you if you suggest that! So much money is involved in this

 

[Major]

They will declare war on you if you suggest that! So much money is involved in this

Growing up in Pakistan from a high school student to a University student and now working, I have seen how alot of people start smoking just to fit in and impress the other person. The situation is terrible here and needs to be controlled.

Than there is the murree brewary in rawalpindi.

I also used to think that the financial gain is better than anything else. But after seeing the effect it has on society, would prefer if these things are curtailed

 

[ex-q-zit]

On the other hand:

First Legal Recreational Cannabis Shop Opens In New York

New York's first legal recreational marijuana dispensary opened on Thursday in the heart of Manhattan. More than 100 people crowded into the dispensary in New York City's East Village, run by the nonprofit Housing Works, a group dedicated to fighting homelessness and AIDS.

"The first legal adult-use cannabis sales mark a historic milestone in New York's cannabis industry," said Governor Kathy Hochul, who oversees the fourth most populous US state.

Hochul said in a statement that she expects New York to serve "as a national model for the safe, equitable and inclusive industry we are now building."

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/first-legal-recreational-cannabis-shop-opens-in-new-york-3650557

 

[MenInG]

Mexico has brought into force one of the world's strictest anti-tobacco laws by enacting a total ban on smoking in public places.

The step, which was first approved in 2021, also includes a ban on tobacco advertising.

Several other Latin American countries have also passed legislation to create smoke-free public spaces.

However, Mexico's legislation is considered to be the most robust and wide-ranging in the Americas.

It amounts to one of the most stringent anti-smoking laws in the world. Mexico's existing 2008 law - which created smoke-free spaces in bars, restaurants and workplaces - is now extended to an outright ban in all public spaces. That includes parks, beaches, hotels, offices and restaurants.

There will also be a total ban on the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products, meaning that cigarettes cannot even be on show inside shops.

Vapes and e-cigarettes are also subject to tighter new restrictions, particularly indoors.

BBC

 

[Robert]

Prohibition doesn’t work. They will get a crime wave as production and distribution of tobacco enters the hands of organised crime.

 

[daytrader]

Mexico has brought into force one of the world's strictest anti-tobacco laws by enacting a total ban on smoking in public places.

The step, which was first approved in 2021, also includes a ban on tobacco advertising.

Several other Latin American countries have also passed legislation to create smoke-free public spaces.

However, Mexico's legislation is considered to be the most robust and wide-ranging in the Americas.

It amounts to one of the most stringent anti-smoking laws in the world. Mexico's existing 2008 law - which created smoke-free spaces in bars, restaurants and workplaces - is now extended to an outright ban in all public spaces. That includes parks, beaches, hotels, offices and restaurants.

There will also be a total ban on the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products, meaning that cigarettes cannot even be on show inside shops.

Vapes and e-cigarettes are also subject to tighter new restrictions, particularly indoors.

BBC

I thought they had harder drugs to worry about than cigarettes

 

[SalimBhai]

Prohibition doesn’t work. They will get a crime wave as production and distribution of tobacco enters the hands of organised crime.

No advertisement and raising the price of cigarettes does have an effect on consumption of cigarettes. Smoking is way down here in nyc. Outright ban will not work. Just like prohibition did not work.

 

[daytrader]

Maximum two drinks a week, Canada guidance advises
A Canadian health agency has backed a report saying that even a little alcohol is too much alcohol

In Canada, it should be Dry January all year round, according to new national recommendations that say zero alcohol is the only risk-free approach.

If you must drink at all, two drinks maximum each week is deemed low-risk by the government-backed guidance.

The advice is a steep drop from the previous recommendation, published in 2011.

Those guidelines allowed a maximum of 10 drinks a week for women and 15 drinks for men.

The new report, funded by Health Canada, also suggested mandatory warning labels for all alcoholic beverages.

"The main message from this new guidance is that any amount of alcohol is not good for your health," said Erin Hobin, a senior scientist with Public Health Ontario and a member of the expert panel that developed the guidelines. "And if you drink, less is better."

The nearly 90-page report, from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), details a variety of health risks associated with what was previously considered low alcohol consumption.

According to the CCSA, any more than two standard drinks - each the equivalent of a 12-ounce serving of 5% alcohol beer or a five-ounce glass of 12% alcohol wine - brings an increase in negative outcomes, including breast and colon cancer.

It may be a rude awakening for the roughly 80% of Canadian adults who drink.

"The new guidance is maybe a bit shocking," Dr Hobin said. "I think it's very new information for the public that at three standard drinks per week, the risk for head and neck cancers increases by 15%, and further increases with every additional drink."

"Three standard drinks per week to most Canadians wouldn't be considered a large amount of alcohol," she added.

...
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64311705

 

[daytrader]

No advertisement and raising the price of cigarettes does have an effect on consumption of cigarettes. Smoking is way down here in nyc. Outright ban will not work. Just like prohibition did not work.

That could be due to the rise in popularity of vaping products. Also, isn't recreational cannabis legal in state of NY? People are smoking, just not traditional tobacco cigarettes

 

[daytrader]

Australia to ban recreational vaping, crack down on black market

Recreational vaping will be banned in Australia, as part of a major government crackdown.

Minimum quality standards will also be introduced, and the sale of vapes restricted to pharmacies.

Nicotine vapes already require a prescription in Australia, but the industry is poorly regulated and a black market is thriving.

Health Minister Mark Butler says the products are creating a new generation of nicotine addicts.

Also known as e-cigarettes, vapes heat a liquid - usually containing nicotine - turning it into a vapour that users inhale. They are widely seen as a product to help smokers quit.

But in Australia, vapes have become a recreational product targeted at kids and "sold alongside lollies and chocolate bars" in retail stores, Mr Butler said in a speech announcing reforms on Tuesday.

"Just like they did with smoking... 'Big Tobacco' has taken another addictive product, wrapped it in shiny packaging and added sweet flavours to create a new generation of nicotine addicts," he said.

Vapes are considered safer than normal cigarettes because they do not contain harmful tobacco. But health experts advises that vapes are not risk-free - they can often contain chemicals - and the long-term implications of using them are not yet clear.

...
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-65446352

 

[daytrader]

Australia to ban single-use vape imports from 2024
Australia is also planning legislation to ban the manufacture, advertising or supply of disposable vapes.

Australia will bar imports of single-use e-cigarettes starting next year, cracking down on the nicotine products that are popular with youth.

The ban will come into effect on January 1, Australia’s government announced on Tuesday, adding that it will also introduce legislation in 2024 to ban the manufacture, advertising or supply of disposable vapes.

Australian health officials welcomed the curb on vapes, which they said had been pitched as a tool to help long-term smokers quit but evolved into a dangerous “recreational product”.

“It was not sold as a recreational product, especially not one targeted to our kids, but that is what it has become,” Health Minister Mark Butler said.

“The great majority of vapes contain nicotine, and children are becoming addicted.”

The Australian Medical Association hailed the government’s “decisive action to stop vaping in its tracks”.

About one in seven children aged 14-17 uses vapes, Australia’s government said in a statement.

The government also said there was “consistent evidence” that young Australians who vape are about three times more likely to take up tobacco smoking.

‘Gateway’ to tobacco smoking

Kim Caudwell, a senior lecturer in psychology at Australia’s Charles Darwin University, warned vaping can serve as a “dangerous gateway” to tobacco smoking for some youth.

“You can understand how at the population level, increased vaping and a resurgence of tobacco use will impact population health in the future,” Caudwell said.

Aljazeera

 

[Bilal Ahmad15]

I just read today that New Zealand has now scrapped their plan to ban smoking (for people of certain generations). Main thing to bear in mind is recently in election another party (National), while the ban on smoking plan was made by the previously elected government

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Found this decision to be regressive by progressive govts.

 

[hassan918]

E-cigarettes: France backs bill to ban disposable vapes​

The French parliament has voted unanimously to ban single-use e-cigarettes, known locally as "puffs", amid health and environmental concerns.

It still needs backing from France's Senate and clearance from the EU Commission before it becomes law.

If both approve the bill, the government said it hopes the ban will be effective by September 2024.

Several other countries in Europe, including the UK, Ireland, and Germany are considering similar measures.

Sold over the counter by tobacconists, disposable vapes in France cost around €9 (£7.70) - less than a packet of 20 cigarettes. They are supposed to offer around 600 puffs - the rough equivalent of 40 cigarettes.

In September, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne - who is often seen vaping in parliament - said the measure was part of a new anti-smoking plan being drawn up by the government.

"They're ridiculously cheap, the fruity and sugary flavours are attractive, and their small size makes them easy to hide from parents," said deputy Francesca Pasquini, who submitted the draft law in November last year.

Campaigners accuse manufacturers - many based in China - of deliberately targeting teenagers, using bright colours and a range of flavours reminiscent of the sweet shop, for example marshmallow, chocolate and hazelnut, watermelon, and ice candy.

According to the Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT) last month, 15% of French 13-16-year-olds have tried "puffs" at least once. Most say they started around the ages of 11 or 12.

There are also concerns about environmental problems caused by disposable e-cigarettes. In the UK, a study last year by the environmental organisation Material Focus found that more than one million devices were being thrown out every week.

Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau called e-cigarettes an "environmental calamity".

"It's an environmental plague," a group of French doctors and environmentalists wrote in Le Monde newspaper earlier this year.

They said each disposable e-cigarette was made of plastic and contained a non-removable battery with around 0.15g of lithium, as well as nicotine salts and traces of heavy metals.

In terms of health concerns, vaping is considered better than smoking - but the vapour that is inhaled can still contain small amounts of chemicals that are found in cigarettes, including nicotine. Experts say it is still a little early to tell how harmful vaping is.

Source: BBC

 

[The Bald Eagle]

A commendable step indeed.

E-cigarettes: France backs bill to ban disposable vapes​

The French parliament has voted unanimously to ban single-use e-cigarettes, known locally as "puffs", amid health and environmental concerns.

It still needs backing from France's Senate and clearance from the EU Commission before it becomes law.

If both approve the bill, the government said it hopes the ban will be effective by September 2024.

Several other countries in Europe, including the UK, Ireland, and Germany are considering similar measures.

Sold over the counter by tobacconists, disposable vapes in France cost around €9 (£7.70) - less than a packet of 20 cigarettes. They are supposed to offer around 600 puffs - the rough equivalent of 40 cigarettes.

In September, Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne - who is often seen vaping in parliament - said the measure was part of a new anti-smoking plan being drawn up by the government.

"They're ridiculously cheap, the fruity and sugary flavours are attractive, and their small size makes them easy to hide from parents," said deputy Francesca Pasquini, who submitted the draft law in November last year.

Campaigners accuse manufacturers - many based in China - of deliberately targeting teenagers, using bright colours and a range of flavours reminiscent of the sweet shop, for example marshmallow, chocolate and hazelnut, watermelon, and ice candy.

According to the Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT) last month, 15% of French 13-16-year-olds have tried "puffs" at least once. Most say they started around the ages of 11 or 12.

There are also concerns about environmental problems caused by disposable e-cigarettes. In the UK, a study last year by the environmental organisation Material Focus found that more than one million devices were being thrown out every week.

Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau called e-cigarettes an "environmental calamity".

"It's an environmental plague," a group of French doctors and environmentalists wrote in Le Monde newspaper earlier this year.

They said each disposable e-cigarette was made of plastic and contained a non-removable battery with around 0.15g of lithium, as well as nicotine salts and traces of heavy metals.

In terms of health concerns, vaping is considered better than smoking - but the vapour that is inhaled can still contain small amounts of chemicals that are found in cigarettes, including nicotine. Experts say it is still a little early to tell how harmful vaping is.

Source: BBC

 

[Cricket Warrior]

No liberty in addiction, says minister on smoking ban law

The health secretary has told MPs "there is no liberty in addiction", as she defended plans to ban today's teenagers from ever buying cigarettes against critics in her own party.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would make it illegal for people born in or after 2009 to buy tobacco.

Victoria Atkins said the plan would create a "smoke free generation".

However, several Tory MPs, including ex-PM Liz Truss, argued it would limit personal freedom.

Conservative MPs will get a free vote on the bill, meaning they won't be ordered to vote with the government, but the bill is still likely to pass as it has Labour support.

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has said she will vote against the bill, and Foreign Office minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan has also signalled her opposition.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak used his conference speech in October of last year to unveil his plans to ban people born after 1 January 2009 from buying tobacco products.

On Tuesday, MPs got their first chance to debate the legislation implementing the ban.

No liberty in addiction, says minister on smoking ban law

The health secretary seeks to persuade sceptical Tory MPs to back a new tobacco and vapes law.

www.bbc.com