Smokefree 2025: Progressing Coalition Agreement Commitments and Smokefree 2025: Cracking Down On Youth Vaping
The coalition agreement between the National Party and Act New Zealand commits to:
- "Repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022 to remove the requirements for denicotisation and the reduction in retail outlets” and “introduce serious penalties for selling vapes to under 18s, and consider requiring a liquor licence to sell vapes.”
The coalition agreement between the National Party and New Zealand First commits to:
- “Repeal amendments to the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990 and regulations before March 2024, removing requirements for denicotisation, removing the reduction in retail outlets and the generation ban, while also amending vaping product requirements and taxing smoked products only” and
- “reform the regulation of vaping, smokeless tobacco and oral nicotine products while banning disposable vaping products and increasing penalties for illegal sales to those under 18.”
In relation to the coalition agreements, the Cabinet papers Smokefree 2025: progressing Coalition Agreement commitments and Smokefree 2025: Cracking Down On Youth Vaping were considered by Cabinet. The papers and their associated minutes are attached below. They have been proactively released by the Ministry of Health on behalf of the Associate Minister of Health, Hon Casey Costello.
Titles of Cabinet papers:
- Smokefree 2025: Progressing Coalition Agreement Commitments
- Smokefree 2025: Cracking Down on Youth Vaping
Titles of minutes:
- Smokefree 2025: Progressing Coalition Agreements Commitments (CAB-24-MIN-0071.01)
- Report of the Cabinet Social Outcomes Committee: Period Ended 8 March 2024 (CAB-24-MIN-0071)
- Smokefree 2025: Cracking Down on Youth Vaping (CAB-24-MIN-0084)
Titles of briefings:
- H2024034952 Briefing - Getting to Smokefree 2025: reform of vaping, smokeless tobacco and consumer nicotine product regulation
- H2024035870 Briefing - Smokefree 2025: progressing Coalition Agreement commitments
- H2024036577 Briefing - Cover brief for draft Cabinet paper - Smokefree 2025: progressing Coalition Agreement commitments
- H2024036808 Briefing - Departmental feedback on Cabinet paper Smokefree 2025: progressing Coalition Agreement commitments
Some parts of this information release would not be appropriate to release and, if requested, would be withheld under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). Where this is the case, the relevant sections of the Act that would apply have been identified. Where information has been withheld, no public interest has been identified that would outweigh the reasons for withholding it.
Key to redaction codes:
- Out of scope of this proactive release
- S 9(2)(a) to protect the privacy of natural persons.
- S 9(2)(g)(i) to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers and officers and employees of any public service agency.
- S 6(a) as its release would likely prejudice the international relations of the Government of New Zealand.
- S 9(2)(b)(ii) where its release would likely unreasonably prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied the information.
- 9(2)(c) to avoid prejudice to measures to protect the health or safety of the public.
- S 9(2)(h) to maintain legal professional privilege.
- S 9(2)(j) to enable a Minister or any public service agency to carry on negotiations without prejudice or disadvantage (including commercial and industrial negotiations).
- S 9(2)(f)(iv) to maintain the constitutional conventions that protect the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers and officials.
