New Zealand's Associate Health Minister Casey Costello faces backlash for a 50% excise tax cut on Heated Tobacco Products, primarily benefiting Philip Morris.

New Zealand's Associate Health Minister Casey Costello faces backlash over a 50% excise tax cut for Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs), primarily benefiting Philip Morris, the sole HTP supplier. Treasury officials expressed concerns about the tax cut's potential to worsen health outcomes and its lack of support from evidence as an effective smoking cessation tool. Costello argues the cut aims to reduce smoking rates, despite warnings from experts about HTP harm compared to vaping.

September 29, 2024
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