New Zealand plans to establish a "smoke-free generation," which means that people born after 2004 may never be able to legally buy cigarettes.
Dr. Ayesha Verrall, associate minister of health, announced the proposed measure, which would gradually raise the legal smoking age over time.
Country officials proposed the plan as a means of "effectively phasing out the legal sale of smoked tobacco products over many years." It is one of the plans put forward by the government in an effort to make the country "smoke-free" by 2025.
New Zealand lawmakers are also considering lowering the amount of nicotine permitted in tobacco products, prohibiting filters, establishing a minimum price for tobacco, and limiting the places where tobacco and cigarettes can be sold.
According to Dr. Verrall, a "new approach" is needed if the country is to achieve its target. She goes on to say that the "best way" to achieve a "smoke-free future" is to keep people from starting to smoke in the first place.
"Over 75% of smokers have tried to quit but smoking is primarily driven by addiction. This makes quitting extremely difficult even though most smokers want to do so," explained Dr. Verrall.
The proposals have been criticized by the right-wing political party ACT New Zealand, which argues that one of the proposed regulations - lowering the amount of nicotine in cigarettes - could harm working-class smokers by forcing them to purchase more cigarettes to get the same hit.
Convenience stores, corner shops, and gas stations have also expressed concerns about prohibiting cigarette sales in their establishments.
New Zealand has a population of around five million people, with an estimated 500,000, or one in 10, smoking daily. In New Zealand, smoking is responsible for one in every four cancer deaths, with Māori people worst affected.
Cancer is the leading cause of death for Māori women and the second leading cause for Māori men.
