The Labour government is discussing new measures, which include only being able to buy cigarettes from pharmacies and licensed outlets among other measures, reports The New Daily.

The proposals are part of the government’s “Smokefree 2025” target and at its most extreme could include banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone born in or after 2004, according to Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall. A less tough measure on the way towards a “smoke-free generation” could be raising the minimum purchase age of tobacco products from 18 to 20 or 23 as well as banning the sale of all but low-nicotine products making the less addictive, reports The New Daily.
“Even for smokers who are not currently considering quitting, using very low nicotine cigarettes can lead them to reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke per day and be more likely to contemplate, make and succeed at a quit attempt,” said the Ministry of Health.
Proposals also include limiting where cigarettes and other tobacco products can be bought with suggestions including the points of sale to be restricted to pharmacies and licensed retailers.
According to The New Daily, submissions on the proposals close on 31 May.