Māori community mourns the setback of hard-earned smoking reform after New Zealand smoking ban

New Zealand's Māori population, which has the highest smoking rates in the country, has been hit hard by the government's decision to scrap the world-leading tobacco laws. These laws, which were set to take effect in 2024, aimed to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes, limit the number of tobacco retailers, and ban cigarette sales to those born after 2008. Māori leaders had been advocating for these reforms for years, as smoking-related illnesses have had a devastating impact on the community. The proposed policies were seen as groundbreaking and could have significantly improved health equity in the country. However, the new government decided to repeal the laws to fund tax cuts, a move that has sparked outrage among Māori advocates. Critics also suspect that the tobacco industry's influence played a role in the policy reversal. Health activists and Māori leaders are now fighting to preserve the reforms, but there are concerns that the government may overturn them by the end of the year.