Denmark plans to ban the sale of cigarettes and nicotine products to anyone born after 2010, the country’s Denmark’s Ministry of Health has announced.
Health minister Magnus Heunicke said the policy change would prevent the next generation from smoking any form of tobacco, according to The Independent.
“Our hope is that all people born in 2010 and later will never start smoking or using nicotine-based products,” Heunicke said. “If necessary, we are ready to ban sales to this generation [born in 2010] by gradually raising the purchase age limit.”
Under current laws in Demark, people under the age of 18 are banned from buying tobacco and electronic cigarettes. But around 31 percent of those aged between 15 and 29 are smokers, Heunicke said.
New Zealand announced plans to outlaw buying cigarettes for anyone born after 2008. The ban is expected to come into force this year.
Additionally, the government plans to introduce major tobacco controls such as reducing the amount of nicotine in products and restricting where cigarettes can be sold.