Non-profit organisation Quit Like Sweden is encouraging the New Zealand Government to reach its Smokefree goal in the new year by legalising nicotine pouches for retail sale.
Sweden has the world’s lowest smoking rate, due to its policy of ensuring safer alternatives to smoking are accessible, acceptable and affordable.
Quit Like Sweden spokesperson Dr Anders Milton said New Zealand has gone part of the way to adapting the same approach but has fallen short of its Smokefree 2025 target.
“New Zealand has taken an almost identical approach to Sweden with the expansion of available options for safer alternative products, and it was proving to be successful,” said Dr Milton.
“But then NZ’s smoking rate stalled at just under 7% and it fell short of a Smokefree 2025 – and the main difference is that nicotine pouches aren’t readily available in retail stores.”
Dr Milton is a physician, a healthcare sector consultant and a former Chair of the World Medical Association.
“I would like to see the NZ Government proceed with its plan to legalise the retail sale of nicotine pouches,” said Dr Milton.
“New Zealand can still achieve Smokefree status – but it needs to act fast if it does not want to end up like Australia.”
Australia is in the grip of an illegal tobacco crisis, with the black market thriving due to high tax rates on the legal product, and a ban on smokefree alternatives.
“New Zealand needs to ensure it avoids the situation where a smoker walks into a store – and instead of being offered a safer, smokeless alternative like nicotine pouches, they can purchase a $20 pack of unregulated, illegal tobacco imported by criminals.
“Everything must be done in NZ to ensure smokers are left with many, better and safer alternatives to falling into the trap of the criminal tobacco trade.”
ENDS
Media contact: Katie Kimberley [email protected]
