ISSUE
Friday, August 22, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 73
Public feedback is being sought on whether New Zealand should sign up to an international agreement aimed at getting rid of the illicit trade in tobacco products.
“These illegal products are usually cheaper than legal tobacco, which is taxed. Smokers buying illicit products may be less inclined to quit and non-smokers may be more likely to take up smoking.The illicit trade in tobacco products results in lost government revenue through tax evasion, and can be used to fund other criminal activity,” Associate Health Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says.
Illicit tobacco trade also encourages the users to use more of tobacco products without a public health warning or quitting drive of such tobacco products get slower to nil. This has the potential to undermine our government’s goal of a smoke free New Zealand by 2025.
“Illicit trade is thought to make up only about 2-3 per cent of the tobacco market in New Zealand. However, there is no guarantee it will not become a greater issue for this country in future,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.
New Zealand took part in the negotiation of the Protocol to Eliminate the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, under the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and now needs to decide whether to become a party to it.
The Protocol contains a range of measures which include controls on the tobacco supply chain and encouraging international co-operation and collaboration to prevent illicit trade in tobacco.
Feedback obtained through the consultation will assist government with deciding whether New Zealand should become a party to the Protocol.
High school students and young adults are very much prone to take up smoking because these illicit tobacco products are easily available through a chain of users and the supply is done secretly. Since the rule in the country does not allow anyone below 18 year of age to purchase and use tobacco products. There is a huge penalty on the stores who sell tobacco products to minors in New Zealand.
The consultation document is available on the Ministry of Health’s website:https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/tobacco-control/who-framework-convention-tobacco-control/illicit-trade-protocol
Public feedback is being sought on whether New Zealand should sign up to an international agreement aimed at getting rid of the illicit trade in tobacco products.
“These illegal products are usually cheaper than legal tobacco, which is taxed. Smokers buying illicit products may be less inclined...
Public feedback is being sought on whether New Zealand should sign up to an international agreement aimed at getting rid of the illicit trade in tobacco products.
“These illegal products are usually cheaper than legal tobacco, which is taxed. Smokers buying illicit products may be less inclined to quit and non-smokers may be more likely to take up smoking.The illicit trade in tobacco products results in lost government revenue through tax evasion, and can be used to fund other criminal activity,” Associate Health Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says.
Illicit tobacco trade also encourages the users to use more of tobacco products without a public health warning or quitting drive of such tobacco products get slower to nil. This has the potential to undermine our government’s goal of a smoke free New Zealand by 2025.
“Illicit trade is thought to make up only about 2-3 per cent of the tobacco market in New Zealand. However, there is no guarantee it will not become a greater issue for this country in future,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.
New Zealand took part in the negotiation of the Protocol to Eliminate the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, under the World Health Organisation’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and now needs to decide whether to become a party to it.
The Protocol contains a range of measures which include controls on the tobacco supply chain and encouraging international co-operation and collaboration to prevent illicit trade in tobacco.
Feedback obtained through the consultation will assist government with deciding whether New Zealand should become a party to the Protocol.
High school students and young adults are very much prone to take up smoking because these illicit tobacco products are easily available through a chain of users and the supply is done secretly. Since the rule in the country does not allow anyone below 18 year of age to purchase and use tobacco products. There is a huge penalty on the stores who sell tobacco products to minors in New Zealand.
The consultation document is available on the Ministry of Health’s website:https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/preventative-health-wellness/tobacco-control/who-framework-convention-tobacco-control/illicit-trade-protocol
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