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New Zealand repeals world-first smoking ban passed by Jacinda Ardern (www.independent.co.uk)

submitted 8 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/worldnews@lemmy.world

174 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Reversal of smoking ban criticised as ‘shameful’ for lacking evidence

New Zealand is repealing the world’s first smoking ban passed under former prime minister Jacinda Arden’s government to pave the way for a smoke-free generation amid backlash from researchers and campaigners over its risk to Indigenous people.

The new coalition government led by prime minister Christopher Luxon confirmed the repeal will happen on Tuesday, delivering on one of the actions of his coalition’s ambitious 100-day plan.

The government repeal will be put before parliament as a matter of urgency, enabling it to scrap the law without seeking public comment, in line with previously announced plans.

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[–] chuckleslord@lemmy.world 9 points 8 months ago (1 children)

There's a lot of money to be made telling people who are afraid of things new things for them to be afraid of. You could also use it to grab power.

[+] Cryophilia@lemmy.world -18 points 8 months ago (1 children)

You don't see the irony, do you? This type of propaganda is why smoking was banned in the first place. It works for the left as well as the right. GMOs, gluten, nuclear power.

[–] chuckleslord@lemmy.world 14 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The difference being that those are naive solutions to complex problems, but correctly identifying the problems. The right has no solutions, only scape goats that block them from some "perfect" past that we've progressed away from. There's no irony here, just a misunderstanding, on your part, of what divides the left and right.

[+] Cryophilia@lemmy.world -6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Sure, I get that.

I'm just saying that the impetus can be propaganda on either side. Left gets taken in by propaganda, they want to do something (even banning something is couched as a proactove measure). Right gets taken in by propaganda, they want to stop things (even taking action is couched as a reversion to previous times).

In this case, the right has no solutions while the left has bad solutions. The right doesn't see smoking as a problem, therefore no solutions are required. I agree with the right on this issue.

[–] chuckleslord@lemmy.world 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

But the right is wrong as well. There need not be restrictions on who wish to purchase tobacco, that we can agree on, but there do need to be on those who would sell tobacco. Tobacco kills and is addictive, to allow it to be sold without restrictions (on advertising, or the sale to minors) would be a cruelty to those who would've never started smoking with those restrictions in play. Only those who can understand the decision they make, with an adult mind unswayed by propaganda (advertising), should be able to make that choice.

[–] Cryophilia@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago

to allow it to be sold without restrictions

Is anyone arguing for that? If so, it's new to me