Have your say on new Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan

On 15 April, the Government released the long-awaited Proposals for a Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Action Plan, and consultation is now open. We are delighted that the plan has a strong focus on protecting youth, including some world-leading policy proposals:

• Social marketing campaigns aimed at ‘supporting young people to stay smokefree and vapefree’ (p19)

• Phasing out tobacco sales using a ‘smokefree generation’ policy that increases the minimum purchase age for tobacco each year by a year (p15)

• Reducing the potential for addiction by reducing nicotine content in smoked tobacco to very low levels (p16)

• Licensing tobacco and e-cigarette retailers (p13) and increasing enforcement of retailer regulations (p12) to address underage sales of tobacco and vaping products

• Significantly reducing the number of tobacco retailers (p14)

• Supporting community action for a Smokefree2025 and strengthening Māori governance of the tobacco control programme are also part of the plan.

Many of the proposed actions will be strongly opposed by those who profit from people smoking and vaping. That’s why it’s important for those who support the plan to express their support. You can express support – and argue for additional measures (e.g. resources for schools to prevent and address youth vaping) – until 31 May.