New Zealand’s government will repeal a world-first law banning tobacco sales for future generations that was set to take effect from July, reports Reuters.

The previous government had voted to ban the sales of tobacco to those born on and after 1 January 2009, reduce the nicotine content in smoked tobacco products and cut down the number of tobacco retailers. However, the new coalition government will repeal those plans meaning it can scrap the law without seeking public comment, reports Reuters.
According to Associate Health Minister Casey Costello the coalition government still wants to reduce smoking but will take a different approach.
“I will soon be taking a package of measures to cabinet to increase the tools available to help people quit smoking,” Costello said.
The U-turn by the new government has been criticized with fears arising that the decision could have a big impact on Maori and Pasifika populations, which are groups with higher smoking rates.
According to Reuters, Otago University researcher Janet Hoek said that the repeal went against robust research evidence, ignored measures strongly supported by Maori leaders and would preserve health inequities.
“Large-scale clinical trials and modelling studies show the legislation would have rapidly increased the rates of quitting among smokers and made it much harder for young people to take up smoking,” she said.