May 02, 2023
No ban on vaping in Aotearoa
The Labour Government will not be following Australia’s lead in banning vaping products for recreational use. Since 2021, nicotine vapes can only be purchased in Australia with a prescription. The Australian Government is taking further steps including banning the importation of non-prescription vapes and closing down vape sales in retail outlets.
But Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall says the Government has run out of time to legislate a ban, but they had been consulting on a range of proposals including flavours, branding, disposable vapes and proximity of sales to Marae and schools.
Verrall said vaping was an important tool to support people to quit smoking, but the balance needed to be right in making sure young people did not take it up.
According to Public Health Otago University rangatahi Māori are disproportionately represented in vaping statistics. 20% of rangatahi aged 14-15 are vaping compared to 10% of non-Māori in the same age group. When factoring in gender, the figure becomes even more unbalanced, with 25% more female Māori youth vaping compared to their non-Māori counterparts.
According to Minister Verrall, “We haven’t got that balance right at the moment.”