NZ’s ever-tightening law

In 1963, advertising on television and radio was banned, while New Zealand was one of the first countries to introduce health warnings on cigarette packets in 1974.

A parliamentary inquiry was conducted in 2010 by the Ma¯ori Affairs Select Committee into the tobacco industry here and the consequences of tobacco use for Ma¯ori. It led to the goal of “Smokefree 2025” being adopted. Smokefree is defined as a smoking rate of less than 5 per cent.

Also in 2010, the Excise and Excise-Equivalent Duties Table (Tobacco Products) Amendment Act made a minimum 10 per cent increase to the duties on all tobacco products. With the Customs and Excise (Tobacco Products — Budget Measures) Amendment Act in 2012 a further four cumulative 10 per cent tax increases were made on tobacco products annually from 2013-16. The then National-Government added four more cumulative 10 per cent increases from 2017-20.