Bhutan was the first country to ban the import and sale of tobacco, in 2004. But New Zealand is held up as the country to watch.
In the global race to eliminate tobacco smoking, New Zealand was first out of the stalls with its 1990 Smoke-free Environments Act.
The law banned smoking inside public buildings such as schools, in workplaces and on public transportation. It extended restrictions on advertising and established an agency to replace tobacco-industry event sponsorship It remains a milestone achievement that the law became an exemplar during the writing of the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Since then, other countries have snuck past us. But the home of the all-conquering All Blacks rugby team does not like to be outstripped. The original law has been amended several times to keep up.
Marewa Glover – Filter – 2021-12-13.
Want More Investigative Content?
