A report by the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (RNZ) on February 1 revealed that New Zealand’s Chief Minister Casey Costello proposed freezing tobacco excise taxes in the Ministry of Health’s memorandum on reforming smoke-free regulations, with additional provisions on tax reductions. suggestion.
The memo also mentions the proposal to implement zero excise tax on heat-not-burn tobacco products, such as Philip Morris' new product IQOS. The memorandum also compared the harm of caffeine with that of nicotine, saying that the harm of nicotine is equivalent, emphasizing that e-cigarettes are an effective way to reduce the number of smokers. The memo also noted that the tobacco industry is facing difficulties and called for creating safer options through alternatives such as e-cigarettes.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Lacson said the government has already increased excise taxes on cigarettes, however, the proposals in the Costello memorandum have sparked controversy about New Zealand's smoke-free policy, particularly proposals for tobacco excise taxes and tax cuts.
