January 26, 2021
Vape importer starts work on te reo warnings
Vaping products imported into New Zealand will be required to display warning labels in te reo Māori if proposed regulations are accepted.
The Ministry of Health has opened online consultation on the draft regulations which are required now vaping and smokeless tobacco products have been brought under the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990.
The proposed regulations cover display of vaping products in retail stores and websites; the use of harm reduction statements; the display of R18 notices at vaping points of sale; packaging requirements; and the responsibilities of manufacturers and importers.
Nabhik Gupta from Shosha, the country’s largest retailer of e-cigarettes, says his company has begun redesigning its packaging to include a warning in te reo: He nikotini kei roto i tēnei mea, he matu tino whakawara – this product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance.
He says unlike tobacco products where the packaging is relatively standardised, the box size of e-cigarettes varies substantially between manufacturers, so the redesign is a significant undertaking.
A recent survey conducted for Shosha found Māori are significantly more likely than the national average to use vaping products, either as part of a smoking cessation programme or for some other reason.
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