Hats off!
This country is at the forefront in many areas of New Zealand life. It shows it once again with the latest measure announcing a lifetime ban on the sale of tobacco to young people born after 2008. Never allowing young people to get used to tobacco: who could be against it, if not the tobacco industry. When you lost your father and your brother to cigarettes, you can only subscribe to this total tobacco ban. Hats off, New Zealand.
Diane Parent
The black market in the blind spot
In a country where society pays for medical costs, I applaud this initiative. Let’s be realistic though, this will greatly benefit the black market.
Mike Poirier
Prohibition doesn’t work
In an ideal world, this New Zealand initiative would be perfect. The problem is that we are not in an ideal world. We are in an imperfect world populated by human beings full of good will, but just as imperfect. Prohibition doesn’t work. History has shown it to us for alcohol, so how can anyone think it would work for cigarettes? In my opinion, we must continue to support smokers who want to quit. We must continue to carry out information campaigns to encourage young people not to start smoking cigarettes or vaping. Tobacco and vaping products also need to be taxed increasingly heavily (except for use in a process to quit smoking), as the financial incentive often works very well.
Lucie Belanger
Freedom !
Whoa: FREEDOM, does this hard-won word still mean anything in this country? What will it be next? The deviations can be numerous.
Daniele Tessier
A very nice initiative
It took a female Prime Minister to legislate on tobacco. It’s a great initiative and we should do the same in Canada.
Marc Duhaime
Empower the citizen
At some point, we have to empower the citizen. Relentlessness will not improve the situation, but will stigmatize smokers.
Marc-Andre de Launiere
After cigarettes, vapers
Yes, we should legislate here too. It’s not difficult: the costs associated with tobacco consumption to the health system far exceed the amounts collected from taxes on cigarette packs. Afterwards, we attack the vapers, the majority of which are the property of tobacco companies.
Catherine Gauthier
courage and intelligence
If all governments had the courage and intelligence of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, perhaps we would be less worried about the future of our children and the future of the planet.
Alain Rochard
Educate and raise awareness
Experience teaches us that any attempt to reduce the use of tobacco products is doomed to failure if it does not obtain the support of those concerned. As proof, the ban on the sale of these products to those under 18 has not eradicated their use. The same is true for alcohol. Who does not know that a ban often fuels the desire to transgress? Why would it be any different by increasing the age of those targeted by the ban? Education and awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco remain the best tools to counter its use, especially among young people, the preferred clientele of tobacco companies.
Claude Laporte, Magog
A noble idea doomed to failure
Without hesitation, I welcome the idea of preventing smoking. However, each time we try to solve a problem, we create others. Prohibition encourages the black market. And what is forbidden is often attractive (especially in adolescence). My verdict: it’s a noble idea doomed to failure.
Marguerite Lanteigne
Kudos to New Zealand!
We spent hundreds of billions of dollars to fight COVID-19 because it was bogging down the hospital system and killing nearly 20,000 people in Quebec! However, each year, 13,000 Quebecers die because they are smokers. Not to mention the secondhand smoke that affects people who didn’t ask for anything! And this product is still allowed because the government collects taxes on it! Kudos to New Zealand!
Simon Beaulac
Protect its population
As the proof no longer needs to be made on the link between cancer and cigarettes, this government is taking steps to protect its population from an activity that also causes collateral damage.
Louis Dumont, Drummondville
Of political maturity
Wow, what audacity! New Zealand politicians have dared to enforce a national law that will make future generations thank them. Unfortunately, neither Canada nor Quebec have the political maturity to consider such a public health game plan.
Claude Peloquin, Boucherville