8 years ago, with millions around the world dying every year from the effects of smoking,

the World Health Organization vowed to push back hard against the tobacco industry.

In 2021, the Government of New Zealand picked up the gauntlet, an unveiled a radical plan.

We want to make sure young people never start smoking.

As they age, they and future generations will never legally be able to purchase tobacco

because the truth is there is no safe age to start smoking.

They're aiming to create the first smoke-free generation anywhere in the world since tobacco

was discovered, having passed a bill through parliament that should effectively outlaw

cigarettes for younger New Zealanders.

Your listening to stories of our times and the times and the Sunday times, I'm David

Aronovich.

Today, the Fags End should we follow the Kiwi Smoking Band.

OK, first, a fessing up.

When I was a teenager, I nicked my mum's cigarettes, Consulat menthol, cool as a mountain stream.

Then, when I was a student and poor, I used to smoke ten park drive a day.

Then I got a good job, and I graduated to 20 silk cut, and all that time I knew it was

bad for me.

And most of that time, I wanted to give up.

And bit by bit so slowly, the walls closed in on our smokers.

Now, it amazes me anyone still does it, but they do.

So I was particularly interested when I saw what was being proposed over 11,000 miles away.

I'm Brydie Witten, a political reporter based in the Parliamentary Prescalary in Wellington,

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