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A smoke-free New Zealand by 2025 - How will it impact tourism?
The Government's aspirational goal of making New Zealand completely smoke-free by 2025 has polarised opinions. Banning all forms of tobacco nationwide is something no nation has done, save for tiny Bhutan, tucked away deep in the Himalayas. The premise that this will improve Kiwis’ health is almost beyond dispute, but there are so many other points to consider such as the cutailing of civil liberties, the creation of a black market, and the impact on tourism.
Would a smoke-free New Zealand boost our lifeblood tourism trade or stub it out altogether? No doubt a smoke-free environment is entirely consistent with the ‘clean, green, 100% pure’ marketing campaign that has proven such a success over the years. But many of our international visitors come from nations where smoking rates are high, and having to surrender your smokes, together with your fruit, on arrival at Auckland International may be considered one step too far. What do you think?
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