New Zealand will phase in a near-total tobacco ban from next year. Legislation passed by parliament means that anyone born after 2008 will never be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products. It will mean the number of people able to buy tobacco will shrink each year. By 2050, for example, 40-year-olds will be too young to buy cigarettes. Health Minister Ayesha Verrall, who introduced the bill, said it was a step "towards a smoke-free future". New Zealand's smoking rate is already at historic lows, with just 8% of adults smoking daily. It is hoped that the bill will reduce that number to less than 5% by 2025, with the eventual aim of eliminating the practice altogether. The bill is also designed to limit the number of retailers able to sell smoked tobacco products to 600 nationwide - down from 6,000 currently. Finally, the bill plans to reduce nicotine levels in products to make them less addictive. The new legislation does not ban vape products, which have become more popular among younger generations than cigarettes.