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The use of tobacco in New Zealand has been subjected to government regulation for a number of decades. On 10 December 2004, New Zealand became the third country in the world to make all indoor workplaces including bars and restaurants smoke-free.
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The number of cigarettes available for consumption, a statistical measure that reflects sales, has generally been decreasing since they peaked at 6.3 billion in 1977 but consumption has remained constant from 2005 through to 2008 at 2.4 billion cigarettes. Over the last 30 years the number of cigarettes that have been available has dropped by 61.5%. The volume of tobacco available for consumption rose to a new high of 904 tonnes and was 83.3 percent higher than the lowest amount recorded in 1985.[1]
The first building in the world to have a smoke-free policy was the Old Government Building in Wellington, New Zealand in 1876. This was over concerns about the threat of fire, as it is the second largest wooden building in the world.[2]
The earliest attempt at tobacco control was in 1907 which banned tobacco sales to persons under the age of 16 as it was feared tobacco would "stun" a minors growth, however this law was never enforced
It wasn't until 1988 when the 16 age limit began to be enforced. However in 1997 the age restriction was increased to 18 years. Although it is illegal to sell tobacco products to a minor, A minor may still publicly consume and possess and distribute to friends without penalty (as opposed to alcohol)
The Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 was passed to prevent the effects of passive smoking on other people by restricting cigarette smoking in places such as workplaces and schools.[3]
New Zealand passed an amendment to the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 law on 3 December 2003 (effective in 2004) which covers all indoor public workplaces and inside hospitality venues (pubs, bars, nightclubs, charted club bars, restaurants and casinos). Studies have shown very high levels of compliance with the law. Also the air quality inside hospitality venues is very good compared to similar settings in other countries where smoking is still permitted. [4]
Outdoor smoke-free laws cover the grounds of all schools, some council-owned parks (e.g., in South Taranaki and Upper Hutt), the grounds of some hospitals, stadiums and one university campus (Massey University), However these laws are not strictly enforced apart from a polite request from Security Guards and property owners. The government has not moved to restrict smoking in cars but has run mass media campaigns that promote smoke-free cars and homes.
Smoking on domestic flights was banned in 1988 and all international flights from 1996
Cigarette advertising was banned on TV and radio in 1963, cinemas and billboards from 1971 and print media from 1990 tobacco sponsorship was phased out in 1995 and tobacco signage banned from outside shops the same year.
The sale of single cigarettes where banned from early 1998 and cigarettes required to be sold in packs of no less than 20.
The New Zealand governments National Drug Policy 2007-2012 seeks to reduce the effects of tobacco use by limiting availability, limiting the use of tobacco, and reducing harm from existing tobacco use.[5]
On 5 September 2007, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) called for the removal of tobacco from sale by 2017.[6] The New Zealand Cancer Society is currently seeking to have tobacco products placed out of sight at retail outlets as a measure to reduce the impact of tobacco marketing. This will make it less likely for children to take up smoking.[7]
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